A Dragon's Heart
by HinataKaede
Summary: One week before Flynn Rider's wedding and he is continually plagued by nightmares. He is saved by Hiccup and taken back to Berk. A new friendship between the two young men begins. Will Flynn make it back to Rapunzel in time for their wedding, or will he stay with Hiccup and become a Viking? T for some language
1. Chapter 1

**==Okay guys... I know I just started another story (Scottish Princess) but this one was just dying to be started! Hope you enjoy it... Hiccup/Flynn Rider crossover. Not sure if I want this to me romantic or not yet, we'll see where the writing goes! Let me know what you guys think! Thanks!==**

Chapter 1

 _Soaring through the skies; feeling the strong muscles underneath his body as he flew through airy clouds and wisps of light pink fuzz. His heart was racing as he felt the familiar plunge. Down, down… through the cloudbank: and now- nothing but open ocean in front of him, a rocky village falling behind. This was the life he had always wanted. To be free. Free to fly, to run his hands through the ocean waves: like a knife through butter. Free to be adventurous._

 _All of a sudden there is a loud screech. A frightened cry escapes his mouth as he is plunged into the icy waters below. The leathery black skin that had been underneath him is nowhere to be seen, or felt. Now all there is is cold, wet, darkness. He can't find the surface of the water. He needs air. Everything is becoming hazy._

Eugene opened his eyes and sat up. His heart-rate was fast, his breathing heavy. The nightmare: he'd seen it again. It's been occurring more and more frequently, leaving him breathless and sweating. Rapunzel was still sleeping peacefully beside him, her brown hair mussed about her head. Morning light was peeking through the cracks of the giant crème curtains that lined the windows. Everything around him was quiet. In the distance the morning bustle could be heard starting up.

He sighed. The wedding was in a week. The preparations were giving him headaches. Not to mention nightmares. The flying dream had started shortly after Eugene had proposed. In truth, the dream could be an omen, but Eugene wasn't the kind of man to go running as soon as the going got rough. He had been a thief for crying out loud. Eugene let out another exasperated sigh. He wasn't a philosopher by any means: he was a man of action. Perhaps helping the preparations throughout the town would take his mind away from the dream.

Slowly, so as not to wake his bride-to-be, Eugene slipped out of the giant, fluffy bed and placed his bare feet on the cold stone floor. He shivered slightly, but he rose and grabbed his old thieving garb: his white tunic and blue vest, tan breeches and his satchel. He picked up his brown boots and his belt and went to change. He kept his feet bare until he had slipped out of the sleeping quarters, then slipped them over his feet and ran down the hall, into many other halls, winding his way to the front entrance. He pushed open the double doors and breathed in the open air. Then he ran down the steps and into the town of Corona.

The children of Corona were laughing and playing, with dolls and with each other. The miller was in front of his shop, setting up the displays for the day. In the stall beside him, the butcher was putting out the freshly cut assorted meats. Eugene walked along the cobblestone roads, humming quietly to himself. The fresh air helped to ease his mind and brighten his spirits. Every place he passed he was greeted with pleasant "hello's" and "good morning's" from the townsfolk and the children.

Eugene kept walking along the road through Corona until he got to the bridge that separated the woods from the royal town. This was where Rapunzel first saw her real home. It had been a pain to get her here, but it was well worth all the trouble. Her excitement: it had been contagious. And because of that, he wanted for nothing; he had everything he had ever wanted. More, actually.

As he stood staring over the bridge into the water below, Eugene heard something unfamiliar. It sounded like large wings beating: attempting to hold a large body in the air. He looked around but saw nothing but bright blue morning skies with very few white clouds dotted about. He shook his head and looked back into the water, smiling at the perfectly crystalline blue water as it reflected his face.

"Why is it that water can get my nose right?" Eugene whispered to himself. He closed his eyes and sighed, a small chuckle coming from his lips.

"Well, look who it is… just the man we wanted to see."

Eugene opened his eyes and looked in the water before turning around. His blood ran cold. In his reflection behind him stood the Stabbington Brothers. Both men were wearing smug grins that meant trouble. Eugene gulped. Last he had heard the brothers were going to spend the rest of their lives in jail for their crimes, for thieving as well as those acted upon against Rapunzel. But, either they had been released, or they had just escaped. From the looks of it, the latter seemed the proper option.

"Hey… guys. It has been some time. Ha-have you been let out on good behavior? We should celebrate! I know of the perfect little place…"

The first brother grabbed Eugene's vest and pulled him close menacingly, stopping Eugene from continuing his rant. He smiled evilly at the prince-to-be: a smile that could freeze even the hottest summer day. Eugene gulped.

"That isn't why we're here for you Rider."

"Actually, I'm going by Fitzherbert now."

The men chuckled darkly.

"You think we care that you wriggled your way into the palace? You were a shitty thief to begin with. No… we need you to do something with all your new wealth and power."

"For you?"

Both men nodded.

"Well… I don't have power yet… What do you need from me? I may not be into the thieving business anymore, but I might be able to put you in contact with someone who can help. Therapy? Anger Management? You need some new stomping grounds? A fresh start?"

"We need gold. And you're going to get it for us."

"Me? Why?"

"We need to skip town. And you got us caught plenty of times. It's only fair you repay your debt to us. We have other ways you could pay, if you won't get us what we need."

"Like…"

"How good is your swimming?" the second brother growled.

A look of relief washed over Eugene's face. Swimming? He was good at swimming.

"My swimming is great! If you wanted to race, why didn't you say so?"

"Hands tied. Anchored to the ocean floor."

"Oh… um… that one is… a little more difficult to deal with."

Both men smiled and wheeled Eugene around, taking both of his hands behind him and tying them together.

"Um… guys? These things are kind of tight, mind loosening them a little? Better circulation, you know- OW!"

Eugene's head was yanked back and an old rag was stuffed into his open mouth. It reeked of old fish, and tasted like dirt and slime. Eugene gagged. The brothers continued to smile. Corona's walls were far enough away that silence was all Eugene could hear. No one would see him die. Rapunzel would be left heartbroken.

"We'll just steal the money we need, ourselves. It will be easier for us anyway." The second brother let out a single bark for a laugh, and looked to his other brother. Then, with a nod both men lunged forward.

Eugene closed his eyes, bracing himself for the feeling of plunging headfirst into the water. At least he had lived the way he had always dreamed… at least for a little while. But, the feeling never came. There was a _whoosh_ and a large _thud_. Eugene opened his eyes. Directly in front of him was a large back animal, with bright green eyes and a toothless grin.

Eugene didn't move. This creature was something he had never seen before. It was beautiful, yet terrifying. Then something moved behind the creature. It looked like a young man, though it was hard to tell because he had a mask over his face. His left leg was a metal pole.

"Okay bud. These two won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Let's get the other one taken care of and be on our way."

The black creature made a throaty burble and gently nudged Eugene in the side. The masked man took off his mask, which, after removal looked more like some sort of helmet. His brown hair was slightly shaggy, with a few braided strands on the right side of his head. His eyes were a striking green, and his skin was tanned beautifully.

The man approached Eugene cautiously, trying not to scare him. It wasn't working very well, but not because of the strange man; it was the burbling blacked being standing in front of him. Eugene pressed himself as far into the bridge wall as he could, which wasn't very far. The black thing turned its large head to the side in curiosity. The man stopped and put his hands in front of him.

"It's okay. I'm here to help you. My name is Hiccup. And this is Toothless. Let me help you get untied."

Eugene nodded and turned around so that the man called Hiccup could untie his hands. He turned his head to keep an eye on the animal called Toothless. It seemed a very fitting name, since the creature didn't seem to have teeth. Eugene heard the clean _slice_ of a blade being unsheathed. His heart sped up. This strange person could just as easily kill him as he could help him. He was putting a lot of trust in a stranger. Usually, that isn't what Flynn Rider would do. But he was Eugene Fitzherbert now- he needed to trust people a little more.

The ropes were untied with a single swift slice. The second he was free, Eugene turned around and pulled the nasty piece of cloth out of his mouth. He looked at Hiccup and mustered a smile. He could still taste rotting fish slime on his tongue.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. We were just flying overhead when we saw these two attack you. Thought we could give you a hand." Hiccup smiled cheerfully and shrugged his shoulders.

"Flying?"

"Oh. Yeah. Toothless… he's, well, a dragon."

"A dragon?" Eugene felt his eyes widen in terror and wonder. He wasn't exactly scared; he had, after all, seen magic hair that glowed. A dragon wasn't that much more mystical to him. He never realized such an amazing creature could exist.

"Yes. He's a Night Fury. The fastest dragon known. He's also the only one I've found."

Eugene felt his arm subconsciously reach out toward the large winged beast. His hand touched Toothless' forehead, just above the eyes. He felt the heat from the dragon's body. Felt the nostrils taking in air. Those green eyes were mesmerizing, and before he knew what was going on, Eugene had walked right to the saddle.

"You want to take a ride?"

"Oh! Um… I'm not so sure…"

"Toothless doesn't usually do too well with new and strange people. He's just fine with you though. That's why I offered. We could fly around the castle, if you'd like." Hiccup was on the other side of Toothless, and swinging his body onto the saddle.

He locked his metal leg into a gear toward the bottom of the saddle straps. He moved the leg a little and the back tail mechanism opened to show a mechanic red tail wing. There was also a white mark at the edge of the tail wing; it looked like a skull of some sort, with horns on either side of its head.

Eugene gulped. It was true that he did want to ride on the dragon. He wanted to feel the wind in his hair, smell the fresh air. Maybe it would be like in his dream, before the watery death. Maybe it would be so much more than his dream, and better.

"Come on. Hop on. It'll be short. If you can't handle it we'll drop you back down."

"Alright, alright."Eugene climbed onto the scaly dragon and wrapped his arms around Hiccup's midriff. It felt awkward to Eugene to have to do this, but Hiccup didn't seem to mind, or notice. His attention was on making sure everything was still secure.

"Hold on tight. Alright Toothless: let's take a nice easy ride around that castle."

With one hard push, the dragon lifted into the air, the bridge and the Stabbington Brothers becoming small specks as they traveled into the cloudbank.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Wow! This is…"

"Pretty cool, huh? Aren't you glad you chose to have a ride?"

Eugene nodded from his spot behind Hiccup. The young man was completely at ease up here in the clouds: flying effortlessly through the air. It made Eugene a bit jealous. Sure, he had had plenty of adventures, most of which were while he had been a thief. Regardless of when they were, they were still adventures though.

But this was something completely different.

Eugene loosened his grip around Hiccup's waist. He cautiously reached one hand out to his side, feeling the air push against it. The power was amazing. Eugene's heart was pounding as they circled the castle of Corona. He could see every room. It was amazing to him; that so much could be seen while being so high up.

"Well, we've circled around. I'll put you down on the bridge. I don't want to cause a panic to the people. Is that alright?" Hiccup asked, turning to look over his shoulder. His voice was a bit nasally, but it carried well over the sound of the wind and the beating of the dragon's wings.

"I'd like to go out a little farther, if that's okay. I'd like to see what's out there."

The reality of those words hit Eugene like a ton of bricks. He hadn't had an adventure since bringing Rapunzel home from the tower after Gothel died. He had stayed by her side. He had… changed. A lot more than he had first thought. He craved the adventure he had given up. He wanted to see new things, to just _be_.

Hiccup chuckled. "Alright. But you better hang on."

No sooner had he said those words, Toothless sped up his wing beats. Eugene grasped onto Hiccup's waist just before he would be thrown from the saddle. He let out a slightly frightened cry as the plunged down toward the ocean. Hiccup laughed as they leveled off just above the surface of the crystal blue water.

"Well chief, how far do you want to go?"

"I don't know. It's been a long time since I've felt this free."

"Hey… you got a name I can call you?" Hiccup said, once again turning his head so that he could be heard clearly over the wind.

"Uh… Eu-Eugene."

"Eugene. Okay. Nice to meet you. I know it's a bit late for introductions, but better late than never, right?"

Eugene laughed uncomfortably. It sounded so strange to hear his name come from this man's mouth. "Actually, call me Flynn. Flynn Rider."

It felt so good to hear that old familiar name spoken aloud. It had been years.

Hiccup turned not only his head, but his torso. The helmet obscured everything but his eyes. Those deep green eyes: searching for something. They seemed to bore straight into Eugene's soul.

"Flynn. That's an interesting name. Have to say, I like Flynn a little better than Eugene. Seems a little stuffy." Hiccup turned back around and leaned forward. He let go of the harness with one hand and placed his fingers into the water. Toothless turned his head slightly and gave a throaty warble.

"I used to go by Flynn Rider all the time. But then… someone changed me."

"You fell in love?"

Eugene sighed and reached down to trail his hand in the cold water. "I guess you could say that. But my first love has always been adventure. I've missed it."

Hiccup nodded in understanding. "Well, I love adventure. Being out; the wind in my hair: when the helmet's off of course. The freedom is intoxicating."

"How'd you manage to ride a dragon? I thought they were only myth."

"Well, dragons used to be a problem for us. They used to steal our animals and set fire to our houses. But now, well, they all live with us on Berk."

"Berk?"

"It's an island about two days flight from here. Less if Toothless flies fast. I'm a Viking. Son of the chief, actually."

"Vikings still exist?"

Hiccup laughed. "Yeah. We tend to keep to ourselves most of the time. Dragons. You know… great conversation starter, not so great for allies and whatnot. Scares most people off."

"Well, maybe one day you can take me to see Berk. It sounds like a great adventure."

"Sure. One day. I do a lot of scouting. New lands, new dragons: it's… kind of my thing."

Eugene looked down at his reflection. His hair was whipped back from his face from the wind. His cheeks looked a little pink, and his eyes seemed full of life. When was the last time he had felt so alive? When Rapunzel had made him take her to Corona to see the lanterns: the day they had spent dancing, eating, reading, and finally, boating. The day he realized he had fallen for her.

And now, here he was. Riding on a dragon: feeling just as free; just as alive.

"We should probably turn back soon. If we go now, we should get you back just before sunset." Hiccup said.

It had been quiet for a while, and Eugene hadn't realized how far from Corona they had travelled. The castle was nothing more than a small speck on the horizon. Dark clouds were beginning to form between Corona and their placement on the ocean, closer to the little party than to the city. The ocean itself was beginning to darken into a dark blackish-blue.

"Hey Hiccup. Are those storm clouds following us?" Eugene pointed behind him with his thumb as he leaned forward to talk to the rider.

Hiccup turned around and glanced behind him. He nodded.

"Yeah. Those look pretty nasty too. We can't fly in storms. The lightning- it's attracted to the metal in my leg and Toothless' tail. It's too dangerous. We'll have to find an island to rest on until the storm passes. Looks like you won't make it back by sunset."

As if on cue, lightning crackled through the sky. It was close enough to Eugene that he felt the hair on his arms begin to stand up with electric charge.

"Come on bud! We have to get away from this storm." Hiccup urged as large droplets of water began to fall around them. Within seconds both men and the dragon were soaked. Thunder rumbled across the open air, sending large vibrations through Eugene's body. Eugene shivered; trying to rid himself of the feeling those vibrations gave him: a feeling of doom.

Toothless' wings beat hard as he tried to outrace the storm. They were already as low to the ground as they could go; Toothless' wingtips were trailing in the water with every stroke. The lightning seemed to become thicker as the dragon began to lose the race. Soon the black clouds were in front of them as well as behind. Rain pelted the party mercilessly and the ocean began to churn violently.

"Toothless, we have to get away from the water." Hiccup called out between the rolls of thunder. Toothless warbled in response and began to rise closer to the dark clouds. Eugene looked around frantically trying to find something familiar.

There were no islands in sight. Corona was nowhere to be seen. All Eugene could see around him were the angry waves of the ocean and the angry clouds of the storm. He held onto Hiccup even tighter. It seemed almost like his dream.

"Hang on Flynn. We're almost to the archipelago. We can rest on an island there."

"What the hell is an archipelago?" Eugene screamed into the air, his cries being swallowed by a giant burst of thunder. The lightning was so bright it was leaving him with streaks of bright colors across his vision.

"There!" Hiccup shouted. Rising in the distance amidst the black of the storm, was a large cliff. Lightning struck the cliff, sending huge chunks of broken rock plummeting to the ocean below.

To Eugene, it looked like the island was being targeted by the lightning. Hiccup must have been thinking the same thing because he shook his head and yelled something. The dragon must have heard him because a moment later they were flying away from the island.

"We're going to continue forward, to something safer!" Hiccup yelled to Eugene. Eugene squeezed Hiccup's waist twice as a response. He was a man, not afraid of much, but this was utterly terrifying. He couldn't trust his voice to not scream like a small girl. That would be more embarrassing than anything else he had ever done. That included singing in the Snuggly Duckling with a bunch of drunken thieves. And that was at the top of his list of embarrassments.

It was silent as Toothless flew at breakneck speed through the storm. He wove in and out of lightning strikes, narrowly missing being hit every time. Eugene's hair was standing on end. Hiccup was focused on finding someplace safe to land. Eugene was sitting behind the Viking thinking of the happy times he had had with Rapunzel, and cursing himself for ever wanting more than what he had already had. The threat of death can do that to people.

Suddenly the rain stopped. The dark clouds vanished and there was nothing but calm, deep blue water and bright sunlight.

"What happened?" Eugene asked, looking behind him to where the clouds sat. it was as if there was a magical barrier preventing the storm from following.

"We got through the storm. Good job bud." Hiccup said to Toothless as he rubbed the dragon's chin. "It looks like you'll get to see Berk sooner than we both anticipated. We're almost there."

"You weren't kidding when you said less than two days if he flew fast."

Hiccup laughed. "Yeah. You got to see both the night and the fury."

"That's was too much fury for my taste." Eugene said as he began to relax. He kept glancing over his shoulder at the storm. It was moving slower now, but he could tell that it had now broken through whatever barrier had been there and was on the move.

"Well, welcome to Berk." Hiccup said as they flew past a giant carved stone. The face on the stone was terrifying to say the least, but beautifully done. Eugene wasn't an art skeptic by any means, but he could tell that a lot of time and effort had been placed in each carving he flew past. Suddenly a giant island came into view, full of houses and brightly colored buildings. Dragons of all shapes and sizes flew through the air and dove into the greenish waters below the giant rock.

"Wow. This is… amazing."

"Wait until you see it up close."


	3. Chapter 3

**==Hello my lovelies! Here is Chapter 3! Sorry for the long break... this chapter was a little more difficult for me to get straight. Let me know what you think! Happy reading!==**

Chapter 3

"Hiccup!"

"Astrid, hey."

Eugene slowly down from Toothless' back, his legs shaking from the recent pump of adrenaline. They had just landed t the docks of Berk, and already people were flocking to meet them, including a girl with long blonde hair. She looked fierce, and she easily pushed through the crowd as she ran to Hiccup.

Toothless gave a light warble and dodged past the crowd to a group of winged creatures Eugene could only consider as other dragons. He watched as Toothless warbled and growled, shaking his head back and forth and up and down, as if he were greeting the other creatures, and watched as the others mimicked the behavior.

"Hiccup, we thought you were going to be gone longer. What happened? And who is this guy?" the blonde girl said, grabbing Eugene by the collar of his vest. "He's not a dragon trapper, is he?"

"Wha- um. No! I'm just a normal guy." Eugene exclaimed, placing his hands in front of him, palms out in surrender. The blonde raised one eyebrow in suspicion, but released his vest.

"Astrid, this is Flynn. Flynn, Astrid." Hiccup said, angling his hands so that they pointed to the respective person as he spoke. "I saved Flynn from being drowned."

"Oh." Astrid said turning back toward the houses that rested on the edge of the craggy island cliffs. "So, then… why are you back so early? It's not because of _him_ is it?"

"Well…" Hiccup took off his helmet and ran his fingers through his hair uncomfortably. "Not… exactly."

"So? Explain."

"Why is this so important?"

"Because we were expecting you back at least three days later than today! We had things we were doing for you." Astrid wheeled around and punched Hiccup in the chest, releasing some sort of fabric webbing on his back. Eugene looked at the two and smiled. It was clear they were together, and in love, like him and Rapunzel.

Rapunzel.

She was probably having a heart attack right now. It had been almost two entire days since he had been in the palace. The wedding was only a few days away. If Eugene didn't make it back before then, the wedding could be called off- months of preparation wasted. Not to mention the amount of anger the King and Queen would have with him for standing up their daughter at the altar, unintentional as it might be.

Eugene shivered lightly at the thought of the King and Queen sentencing him to death for such a heinous crime. Deep down he didn't think that the royals didn't have the heart to commit him to death because of something out of his control, but the King was getting old. And the older he got, the less tolerable he found things. He needed to get back to Corona.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, pulling Eugene out of his thoughts. The crowd of people were silent as they watched the skies begin to cloud over.

"It looks like a really bad storm is coming." Hiccup said, placing his hand on Eugene's shoulder. "We won't be able to get you back home until it clears up. Maybe we can leave tomorrow. Until then, stay at my place."

"Uh. Okay." Eugene looked up the island of Berk. The houses were simple, but they looked better than what he had had as a child. Dragons flew and walked around the entire island, on the houses and walkways. It was a simple living, but everything that Eugene was seeing was stirring up thoughts in his head.

"Well, come on! I'll introduce you to my parents."

Hiccup began walking up the long wooden trails leading up to the higher parts of the island, Eugene following closely behind him. Astrid took up the back behind Eugene, a frown of concern on her face. The rest of the villagers followed up the trail, calling to children and dragons alike.

As Eugene reached the landing of Berk, he saw a man build like a boulder. His reddish hair was touched with grey, and his beard was braided. He had a helmet with horns placed on top of his head, and his eyes were as green as Hiccup's. The young brunette was talking with this man in a very animated way. Hiccup's hands were flying around his body and face as he spoke to the giant man. The man had a large scowl on his face, and shook his head in resignation. Then he turned to Eugene with a look of forced kindness.

"Welcome to Berk. I am Stoick, the chief."

"Woah… um… hi. Sir. The name's Flynn." Eugene stuck his hand out in greeting. Stoick looked at his hand and nodded his head, ignoring the young man's attempt at manners.

"You are welcome here until the storm lets up. Then you must leave. We don't like strangers here."

"I… understand. Thank you."

As Stoick turned to leave, Eugene turned to Hiccup, who in turn began walking deeper into the island village. Eugene scrambled to keep up.

"Well, I can see why you don't have many visitors." Eugene said as the two walked up to the biggest house on Berk, the chief's house. Hiccup gave a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah… he's not big on strangers, more now than ever, since now we have dragons. Like I said before… great conversation starter, but not much good for anything else."

"Yeah. I'm sure people would freak out a bit, just seeing his form is enough to silence a room." Hiccup laughed and shook his head.

"That's not exactly…"

"I know. I know. But in all honesty, I have to get back to Corona as soon as possible. I've got a wedding to go to."

"Oh? Who's?" Hiccup turned to Eugene and smiled.

"Well… Mine."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Huge droplets of rain began to litter the earth. Eugene held out his hand and felt the water begin to pool in his palm. Quickly he shook the water out of his hand and rubbed the moisture onto his quickly soaking vest.

"Um, can we take this conversation inside, maybe?"

Hiccup nodded and opened the heavy oak doors of his home. A woman stood by the hearth, stirring a large pot. Hidden in the corner nearest her was a brown dragon with a wide spanning head plate and yellow eyes. It had three long tendrils on each side of its face, coming down from the head plate. As Eugene looked across the length of the beast, he noticed the extremely long and sharp talon at the tip of its wing.

"Oh Hiccup, you're back." The woman said as she glanced up and then rushed to give Hiccup a hug.

"Hey mom."

"Who's this?" she asked after her embrace as she turned to look at Eugene.

"This is Flynn. I rescued him from drowning."

"Oh?" Hiccup's mother smiled and opened her arms for an embrace. "Hello Flynn. My name is Valka. Welcome to Berk. Where did Hiccup find you?"

Eugene moved to give Valka an awkward embrace. "I'm from a small island country called Corona."

"Oh, it sounds lovely. Are there dragons there? You seem to be alright with them."

"Oh, no. This is the first time I've ever seen them. I didn't even know they were real. until today."

Valka nodded, her green eyes sparkling with understanding.

"Well… uh… mom, I'm taking Flynn up to my room to get him settled for the night. I've got to get him back home soon-he's got a wedding to attend."

"Oh! Is it your wedding?"

Eugene nodded, feeling his cheeks color slightly. Yes. I'm sure my fiancée is worried. I had only intended on going for a walk, I've been gone for a while."

"Oh, well, it depends on whether Toothless can fly in the weather. We will try to get you home soon, but depending on the weather, we might have to bring you on Cloud Jumper instead."

Eugene nodded and thanked Valka for her kindness, then hurriedly followed Hiccup and his giant black dragon up the stairs and into his room.

"Woah! Seriously? You used to be a theif?" Hiccup laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I know… it's not really what you would guess. Rapunzel changed me." Eugene smiled sheepishly, his brown eyes darting around the room in embarrassment.

"So tell me about Rapunzel. She sounds like a fun person."

Toothless perked his head up and turned his yellow-green eyes to Eugene, his pupil so wide the color almost seemed to have vanished.

"Well… erm… She is, first off, a princess. But she didn't know it."

"How? I would think that sort of thing would be general knowledge for a princess."

"She was taken by a woman named Gothel when she was just a baby. Her hair had magical properties- ones that Gothel had wanted. But she couldn't just cut her hair off because the power would be lost. So Rapunzel grew up in a giant tower, away from any type of civilization. She was alone for eighteen years."

"And you saved her?"

"Ha… well not at first. I stumbled upon her tower after trying to escape the royal guards. I kinda stole the missing princess' crown. She had wanted to leave the tower and had convinced me to help her out."

"And you fell in love?"

"Well, yeah."

Toothless warbled joyfully and nudged Eugene gently.

"So what about you? Is that blonde…"

"Astrid. Yeah. She's my girl. She used to hate me- I used to be… well, more of a toothpick and an outcast than a Viking. Dragons used to be a problem, but because of me and Toothless, they've all moved in."

Thunder rumbled loudly outside the sturdy wooden house. Lightning crackled overhead, sending shivers down Eugene's spine.

"Ah… this is so great! I don't really have someone to talk to like this…"

Toothless turned his head and frowned at Hiccup.

"Except you bud."

Eugene laughed. It had been a while since he had had someone to talk like this too. It wasn't a manly thing to do: talk about feelings and reminiscing. But it felt nice. It felt… human. It was nice to finally have someone, other than Rapunzel, to talk to.

The boys talked well into the night, barely realizing the sun beginning to rise until they passed out from exhaustion, Toothless wrapped protectively around the two.


	4. Chapter 4

**==Hiccup POV! Hooray! I feel it might move a little fast and there might not be enough information... I dunno. Any questions or comments, you know what to do- comment or PM me! Happy reading!==**

Chapter 4

Hiccup was used to sleeping in the warm folds of Toothless' protective wings. He was used to hearing the deep thrum of Toothless' breathing as the dragon slept, he was used to feeling the light pumping of the dragon's heart.

He was not used to opening his eyes and finding another body curled tightly beside him.

As he tried to wrap his head around what had happened, Hiccup stared at the dark haired man sleeping peacefully beside him. He was a handsome man. And his build was similar to his own. He seemed like he enjoyed riding Toothless, so perhaps he would enjoy becoming a Viking.

Hiccup shook his head, banishing those thoughts. He, the son of Stoick the Vast, could not be developing a crush on another man. But there it was, all facts laid bare. Beside him lay a man that made Hiccup's heart beat faster. He didn't know exactly what happened to warrant this reaction, but he knew this wasn't a feeling he should be having.

Flynn moved his head slightly and smacked his lips quietly. A content sigh escaped his lips. Hiccup blushed and reached across and pulled a few messy strands of hair from the sleeping man's face.

He knew this affection was forbidden. The sooner he could get Flynn back to Rapunzel, the sooner he could forget about how he was beginning to feel.

Toothless lifted his wing enough to poke his head inside his nest. He nudged at Hiccup gently, opening his mouth in a lopsided, toothless smile. Hiccup smiled and patted the dragon's nose softly.

"How's the weather bud?" He whispered, trying not to wake Flynn.

Toothless made a low warble and nudged at the still sleeping man. He unwrapped the boys from his protective netting and stood up, shaking himself and stretching. He swished his tail tentatively and looked back to his rider.

Flynn was still sleeping, though he had shifted and now had a frown on his face. In an instant, he sat up, his face paling as his brown eyes searched around the room.

"Where am I? What happened? Oh…" Flynn's eyes widened then closed as he remembered what had happened. He ran his hand through his hair sheepishly as he looked up at Hiccup, who was trying not to laugh too hard.

"Good morning Flynn." Hiccup said with a smile as he held out a hand to help the other man up. "I trust you slept well?"

Flynn nodded and took Hiccup's hand. He pulled himself up with a quiet groan. Hiccup's heart began to race and he quickly dropped his eyes to the floor in an attempt to calm himself. He would _not_ sabotage this new friendship.

Toothless looked from Hiccup to Flynn and back again. His yellow-green eyes widened and he warbled loudly. Hiccup turned and smiled at the black dragon.

"We have to go feed you, right bud? Hey, do you want to come along? It's still a bit stormy out there, so we have to stick close to Berk, but we can still go riding."

"Sure. I'd love to fly again." Flynn said with a smile. His stomach growled loudly and his hands flew to his abdomen as color crept across his cheeks. "Perhaps some breakfast first, though?"

Hiccup laughed.

"Of course. We'll meet you outside in a bit Toothless."

Toothless nodded and leapt out the wide window with a flick of his tail.

"Does he always do that?" asked Flynn with an amused smirk.

By "that" Hiccup assumed Flynn meant the almost uncanny way Toothless was able to understand everything- and respond to it accordingly. Hiccup shrugged his shoulders and nodded lightly.

"Yeah, I suppose so. He's done it since I first met him."

Flynn chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"You two have a really different bond."

"He's my best friend. My first real friend."

Flynn shook his head. "No, I meant as in, a boy and his dragon: tag-teaming the world; two against one. Forever." Flynn wrapped one arm around Hiccup's shoulder and waved his hand in front of the boy's face as if he were trying to get him to envision the words coming from his mouth. Hiccup smiled sheepishly and felt his cheeks grow hot.

"How exactly did you manage to get someone to want to marry you?" Hiccup teased lightly, trying to still his rapidly increasing heart rate. "Your character is so weird."

Flynn shrugged, either oblivious to Hiccup's teasing or ignoring it completely. He smiled as his feet touched the wooden planks of the main floor of the house. The smell of roasting chicken hung in the air in layers.

Valka stood by the giant fireplace, humming a tune quietly to herself. Beside her, Cloud Jumper lay in the shadows, his eyes partially opened as he watched her work.

"Morning mom." Hiccup called as he went to grab bowls and utensils for the food.

"Good morning Hiccup. And Flynn. You aren't out in the air yet? The weather is fair enough for light flying, I would have thought you would have left already."

Flynn's cheeks turned a deep crimson as he gratefully took the supplies Hiccup gave him. Hiccup laughed.

"Well, Flynn wanted food before we went out. Toothless is outside waiting. We'll leave right after he eats."

Valka froze. She turned and looked pointedly at Hiccup. "And you too, right? When was the last time you had a decent meal?"

"Uh…"

"The day you left here on your last adventure. That was almost a week ago Hiccup. Eat."

Hiccup sighed in quiet resignation and set a place for himself beside Flynn. It was true that he rarely ate a "decent meal", since he was often gone travelling to new lands and exploring new territories. Flynn said nothing, but the color faded from his cheeks.

The meal was eaten in relative silence, Flynn ate respectfully and rather quickly while Hiccup scarfed down the food his mother put on his plate. Valka watched with motherly approval as the boys helped themselves to seconds of the roast chicken, bread and butter, and garden vegetables she had prepared. When they were finished, Flynn ushered Hiccup out of the hut with such force at first Hiccup was concerned.

Toothless bounded toward the two men as they exited the chief's hut. A happy warble and the feeling of falling was all Hiccup was aware of before his body made contact with the slightly damp ground. Flynn stood above him, a smile spread across his rugged features.

"Looks like we are all ready for adventure!" Flynn cried as he held out his hand to help the smaller brunette up.

Hiccup chuckled.

"Yeah, looks like it. You ready bud?"

Toothless gave a lopsided, toothy grin and moved to allow Hiccup on. Hiccup's heart began to race, and for once today it wasn't because of Flynn. He mounted Toothless and locked himself into the harness. He turned to look at Flynn and was surprised to find the man already moving to situate himself on the remaining free space of the harness.

His stomach lurched excitedly as he felt Flynn's strong arms wrap around his torso. Felt the man's sculpted chest on his back through his riding gear. Swallowing to ignore his killer heartbeat, Hiccup reached down and gently patted Toothless' neck.

It was their custom, right before take-off. The unspoken symbol to take flight. Moments later, the three were in the air, Berk becoming smaller as they put distance between them and soared over open ocean.

They remained close to Berk, but far enough away that they weren't considered "on the island". Here, Toothless dove close to the waves of the ocean, his taloned feet grazing the surface and sometimes bringing up pawfuls of water to splash the humans aboard.

Flynn let out a small bark of laughter, his grip loosening from around Hiccup's waist until he could no longer feel him. Nervously he glanced behind him and saw Flynn leaning over just enough to have his hand graze the water. Hiccup smiled and looked ahead again.

In the distance, Scauldrons, Thunderdrums and Seashockers rose out of the waves like graceful acrobats, the water splashing around them in a flurry of droplets. Hiccup smiled and gave a content sigh. He loved flying.

It was something Hiccup was used to.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The wedding was four days away. Eugene was still nowhere to be found. No one in the kingdom had seen him since the day he went missing. The palace guards had found the Stabbington brothers on the bridge, unconscious and tied tightly together. But they claimed to know nothing of Eugene's whereabouts.

Rapunzel sighed and closed the book she had been trying to read. _The Tales of Flynnigan Rider_ stared back at her, the calligraphy of the cover seeming cold and unfeeling. The sun was shining brightly, but Rapunzel didn't feel cheerful.

There was a quiet knock at the door and before she could be turned away, the Queen entered Rapunzel's room. She walked quietly to her daughter's side and kneeled on the floor in front of her.

"Rapunzel…"

"Mother, has there been any change?"

The Queen shook her head, her bright green eyes brimming with unshed tears. She reached out and took her daughter's hands in hers, squeezing them in an attempt at comfort. She remembered how it had been when she had lost her child to the witch Gothel, but this was different. Eugene wasn't her child, but her love was still the same.

Rapunzel sighed. Her heart squeezed tightly in pain. She felt like she was suffocating.

"Is there no new information then?"

"I'm afraid not my child."

Rapunzel nodded, another sigh escaping her lips. A single tear fell from her eyes and landed on her mother's hand.

"I hope he is alright. I know he wouldn't just leave like that."

The Queen was silent. There was nothing she could say to ease her child's pain.

Rapunzel sighed again and placed her book on the table beside her chair. She wiped her eyes and stood up, her bare feet seeming to glide across the polished marble floor as she went to her wardrobe.

On the bed, Pascal lay curled in a ball, sleeping. He raised his head briefly, watching Rapunzel's movements before rising.

"Rapunzel, what do you wish to do?"

"Keep everything as planned. I'm going out to find him."

"But-"

"Mother, I think he is in trouble. He rescued me, I should do the same for him." Rapunzel took off her crown and placed it in her mother's hands. "If I am not back in three days time, cancel the wedding. I'll be back."

"Rapunzel, I don't want to lose you again."

Rapunzel smiled, tears brimming in her eyes again. She reached out and trailed her fingers across her mother's cheek. The Queen's green eyes mirrored her own pain and worry. Both women knew it would be a dangerous journey to make, and there was a possibility that Rapunzel could be lost to her parents again-this time for forever.

"I'll be back."

Rapunzel turned away, tears beginning to drip from her giant green orbs.

"Rapunzel, your father-"

"It'll be okay. I'll be back. And he'll be with me." Rapunzel's voice wavered. "Come on Pascal."

The little green chameleon jumped onto Rapunzel's lilac skirt and climbed his way up to her shoulder as she walked quickly from the room, hoping her mother would not follow. The Queen tried to chase Rapunzel, but before she could stop her child, the young princess was gone from view.

Rapunzel ran through the halls, trying to hide from everyone's view. In mere moments her mother could call for the guards to trap her from leaving the palace. She needed to get out before she was seen. She didn't like having to run from her parents, but she could feel in her heart that Eugene was in trouble. She needed to rescue him.

As she fled the castle and made it to the bridge where the two criminal brothers had been found, she slowed. She looked into the water flowing gently underneath her, it's clear blue hue reflecting the girl's worn face. Her eyes were swollen from crying and dark with lack of sleep. He skin was pale, and her eyes looked dull and void of life.

"What do you think? Should I look here on the land? Or travel outwards? They haven't found him here…"

Pascal grunted and wriggled his head from side to side, pointing his tail out at the horizon.

"I need a ship, or a boat at least."

Pascal nodded.

"But if I go back into Corona, I might get stopped."

Pascal grunted again and pointed at the clear blue water.

"Swim to a boat? That doesn't seem safe."

Pascal narrowed his eyes and froze, staring hard at his brunette friend.

Rapunzel sighed.

"What real choice do I have?"

Rapunzel sighed again and began her descent into the water below the bridge. She was careful as she climbed down, her bare feet easily finding foot holes to grasp. Pascal climbed onto her head and held on, watching the water come closer and closer.

Rapunzel continued to climb until her body was mostly submerged in the cold water. Once she was able to, she pushed away from the stone of the bridge and began to swim back to the shores of Corona, using the bridge's length as a shield from view.

Pascal sat on top of her head and watched carefully, making sure he himself did not get wet.

The sun began to set, sending bright oranges and purples across the water. By the time Rapunzel would get back to Corona's shores, darkness would have fallen and the fishermen and other ship captains would have gone to their homes for the night. Stealing a ship wasn't something she wanted to do, and she wasn't proud of the idea of having to do something so bad, but it needed to be done. For Eugene's sake.

As she reached the docks, Rapunzel heard the clanking of feet walking in unison and gasped as she hid beneath the wooden planks. Her mother had placed guards on the docks. Stealing a ship would be more difficult now.

She waited until the footsteps had faded completely before she raised her head over the edge of the dock enough to see. The pair of lanterns were fading in the distance as the guards continued their rounds of the docks. Rapunzel let out a tentative sigh.

"Let's go."

They found an older looking fishing boat and quickly untied the tethers that kept the vessel anchored to the docks. Rapunzel pushed off, grunting with effort.

"Hey did you hear something?"

"Yeah. It came from this way. Let's go check it out."

Rapunzel gasped and pushed the boat again, this time freeing it completely from its moor. She leapt aboard as the guards came running from around the corner. As they saw the princess beginning to float away, the cried out and pushed harder to reach the boat in time. They reached the edge of the dock as Rapunzel and the fishing vessel floated just out of reach.

"I'm sorry!" Rapunzel called to them as she floated farther away. "I'll return it when I come back!"

The guards stood at the edge of the dock, eyes wide with terror, mouths open in shock, chests heaving as they gasped for breath. Rapunzel turned away from them, her heart seeming to squeeze the very breath from her lungs. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Now came the hard part: navigating a boat, and finding Eugene. Rapunzel sighed and picked up the small chameleon.

"Oh Pascal, where could he be?"


	6. Chapter 6

**==Alright my lovelies! The next chapter below! Before you begin, if you please, note that I have created a poll that you can find on my page. This particular poll is something to see what my readers enjoy reading- what characters they would maybe like to see me write about. I would like it very much if everyone would take the poll. It honestly helps me decide what to write next. Thanks Much! Aaaaand... without further ado- Happy Reading!==**

Chapter 6

It was only a few days before the wedding, or the day of- Eugene didn't remember how many days were left, nor did he care. Flying with Hiccup and Toothless was becoming the only thing he knew. The adventures they had were all he needed. He felt so fee when he flew above the clouds, just like when he was nothing more than a common theif.

It's not that he had forgotten Rapunzel and everything he was supposed to do; he thought about the wedding every day. But every day Hiccup would offer rides on Toothless, or want to show him another part of the island.

And Eugene had a horrible time saying no.

His nightmares had gone, and he was sleeping almost better than he ever had at the palace in Corona. More often than not he woke up cradled in Toothless' wings beside Hiccup. He now had his own set of riding gear, complete with the Hairy Hooligan crest, and Hiccup had thought that maybe Eugene could finally get his own dragon.

The perks of becoming a part of the Viking tribe were looking better than the idea of a comfortable, cushy life in a palace- even if it meant staying away from Rapunzel.

That thought.

Eugene's heart would squeeze when he thought of leaving his love for his newfound freedom and fun. But he was realizing that a life in one place was not what he wanted. Hiccup was offering a solid base of operations, but the freedom to travel; the promise of adventure.

If only there was a way to have both his love, and his freedom. There was no way he would ask Rapunzel to drop her responsibilities as the Princess; not to mention leave her new-found family, just so they could be together. That was selfish. And dragons in Corona could be more problematic than it was worth, so having a port for the Vikings there wouldn't work either.

Eugene sighed. He plucked at a few strands of long grass beside his knee. They had been flying for a good part of the morning and had decided to take a break and view the land from a regular point of view. Toothless was not far away, rolling this way and that in the grass. Hiccup stood nearby, a frown slowly crossing his face. As Eugene looked at him, he noticed Hiccup shake his head and replace his frown with a smile.

Hiccup walked over to Eugene and sat down.

"What's on your mind Flynn?"

Eugene shrugged his shoulders.

"Come on. Talk."

Eugene smiled and let out a light chuckle. It seemed odd; the two had barely known each other a week, and yet they were as close as childhood friends. It amazed Eugene how short a time it took for him to let the Viking in to his mind, and even more so, his heart.

"Thinking about her?"

Eugene nodded. He was worried about Rapunzel-this much was true. He knew she wouldn't leave Corona no matter how worried she was. But he was worried about the worry he was causing her. There would be no making up for this.

Hiccup's face darkened momentarily. "You wrote to her, right?"

Eugene nodded. On his second day on Berk, he had been told to write a letter to Rapunzel explaining what had happened. He had, eagerly. But the dragon that had left for Corona had not yet arrived back at Berk.

"Do you want to go back?"

Eugene's heart dropped at the hint of venom in Hiccup's voice. While it was true that it was the responsible thing to do, it was not what Eugene wanted. And from the sound in Hiccup's voice, it wasn't what the boy wanted either.

Eugene shook his head and leaned back, falling into the grass and looking up at the bright, clear blue sky. It was endless. Eugene reached a hand out as if to touch the whisps of pure white clouds floating lazily in the canvas of blue.

"Do you want me to go back?" Eugene asked lightly, feeling his heart and throat squeeze tighter as he asked. The idea of leaving Berk- leaving Hiccup, was one that he never wanted to have. He dropped his hand; the attempt at grabbing the sky a failure.

Hiccup laid down beside Eugene, his hands folded tightly on his chest. It was quiet for a moment before Hiccup responded quietly, "No. That isn't what I want."

Eugene turned his head to look at the brunette beside him. Hiccup's jaw was clenched as he stared up into the endless blue sky.

"What do you want?" Eugene prodded lightly, hoping to find out what had gotten into his friend.

Hiccup sighed and turned his green orbs to meet Eugene's chocolate ones. Eugene could see the conflict in his eyes. Hiccup said nothing as he loosened his hands and let them fall to his sides. They stared at each other for a few minutes in complete silence.

Hiccup sighed again and grasped at Eugene's left hand. He entwined his fingers with the taller man's and smiled slightly. Eugene was confused at the sudden intimate touch, but decided to let Hiccup go at his own pace. He knew the Viking would tell him-eventually. He squeezed Hiccup's hand in encouragement, and held tightly to the warm fingers between his own. He would not let go.

"I want you to stay in Berk. With me." Hiccup blushed and looked away, trying to untangle his fingers from Eugene's hand. When he was unsuccessful, he looked back to the brown eyes that were staring directly into him.

"Hiccup-"

"I know you are supposed to get married, and go back to Corona. Honestly, I'm jealous of her. I know I shouldn't be even doing this, but I am." He tried to wriggle his fingers free once more, another attempt ending in failure. Giving up, Hiccup sighed and sat up, turning his back to Eugene.

"The thing is Flynn," he started, picking at the grass with his free hand, "ever since you came here, I've felt you should stay."

Eugene blinked and sat up, loosening his hand's grip on Hiccup's.

"What do you mean? Like, become a Viking?"

"Well, sort of, I guess."

"Explain, Hiccup."

Hiccup wrenched his fingers from Eugene's loosened grip. He kept his back turned, and wrapped his arms around his knees. Hiccup looked so vulnerable, and so afraid, Eugene's heart skipped a beat.

"I've been different since the day I was born. I was an outsider for a long time. But even though I've been accepted now, I still feel isolated. Toothless helps, but when I met you, and brought you here, it was because I don't feel isolated with you. I'm not so alone."

Eugene's heart began to beat faster.

Here was this boy, who had two parents that loved him, a dragon who protected him and friends to support him- and he felt alone. Eugene had always _been_ alone. And he felt about Hiccup the same way the boy thought of him.

"I don't want you to go back to Corona, because then I might not see you again, and it would just be me and Toothless again. That's not a bad thing though." Hiccup said hurriedly as Toothless turned his narrowed yellow-green eyes at Hiccup. "It's just, you can actually talk to me. He doesn't speak like a human can."

"That's not all of it, is it Hiccup?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"What else?"

"It's better you don't know."

"Hiccup…"

Eugene placed a hand on Hiccup's hunched shoulder.

"Come on. Out with it."

Silence hung over the field and a single cloud dashed across the sun, obscuring some of the light.

Hiccup sighed. "I guess you should know, since you'll probably find out anyway…"

Hiccup turned and faced Eugene, his green eyes shining with fear and determination. It was a terrifying look for the boy, but it made Eugene's heart beat that much faster. What was happening to him? This wasn't just a normal excited heartbeat. This was something more.

"Flynn, ever since that first night we stayed up talking…"

 _Bump-thump. Bump-thump._ Eugene's heart rate began to pick up as his mind tried to frantically figure out why.

"I've had this feeling…"

 _Bump-thump, bump-thump, bump-thump._

"I like you…"

 _Bump-thump-bump-thump-bump-thump-bump-thump._

Toothless' head was raised as he watched the two boys with increasing interest. Hiccup looked away from Eugene in embarrassment as he whispered:

"More than a friend."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hiccup's heart raced as he began to speak. Flynn had asked- it seemed only right he get the proper answer. He had tried to brush the erratic feeling from his mind, but every day it seemed to grow stronger. Within two days Hiccup had begun to make up reasons to keep Flynn on Berk, just to keep the man close to him. He knew it had been wrong, but his heart was in the lead now-not his head.

"I like you… more than a friend."

He couldn't keep eye contact. It wasn't right. He was engaged. If that wasn't the worst of it… He was also, well, a guy. Hiccup didn't know how these feelings came about, but he could guess. The only problem was that, as long as Flynn remained nearby, Hiccup could not avoid him.

But now he knew.

Hiccup turned his body away from Flynn's and looked to his dragon. He could leave Flynn here; send someone to bring him home to Corona. But he had already said he didn't want to leave Berk.

Hiccup sighed.

Flynn had yet to move, or to speak. Hiccup wasn't even sure if the brunette was breathing anymore. He couldn't bring himself to turn around to face his friend.

"I know you probably think I'm a disgusting person… I told you it would be better if you didn't know."

Suddenly Hiccup felt strong arms wrap around his body from behind, in a tight embrace. Hiccup's heart was beating so fast and hard, it almost threatened to come out of his chest. He didn't move, afraid that it was only his imagination.

"Hiccup." Flynn whispered into the boy's back, tightening the hug briefly.

"Yes?"

"Turn around."

Flynn released his grip and dropped his hands from Hiccup's body. Hiccup sighed and did as he was told, fear blocking his mind and freezing his thoughts. He kept his eyes averted, counting each individual blade of grass he could see. Would this be where he told Hiccup what he truly thought? Would Flynn want to leave now that he knew?

"Look at me, Hiccup."

Hiccup slowly raised his head to meet the brown eyes of the man in front of him.

Flynn leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Hiccup once again, burying his head in the young Viking's collarbone. Hiccup's eyes widened and he blinked in confusion. Slowly he wrapped his arms around Flynn's back, returning the embrace. His mind was a blank. What was happening?

"You are a great friend Hiccup. And I don't know what I would do without you. I don't do this often but… you have bared your heart to me, you deserve the same. I've grown to care a lot about you too… I'm realizing." Flynn kept his head lowered into the other's neck.

Hiccup pulled back slightly, his heart speeding up again. Could this be happening?

"So you mean-"

"I don't think of you as disgusting or anything. We… well we have something special-something that neither of us has with our girls. It's unique, something only we have. I don't like being apart from you, the longer I stay here on Berk. And honestly, I have no clue how to go about this." Flynn sat up and gazed into Hiccup's bright green eyes, reaching out his hand to wipe away the tears beginning to spill over and then running his hands lightly through his hair.

Hiccup chuckled slightly. "It's not something that should be acted on. You have Rapunzel, and I have Astrid, not to mention the Chiefdom to think about. Neither of us are really in any position to act on our emotions."

Flynn nodded and turned his head to look at the giant dragon that had begun to inch closer to the two. "I know."

Hiccup sighed. He knew he still loved Astrid, and he was sure that Flynn still loved Rapunzel. That was the proper thing. This was… well, different. Forbidden.

Toothless warbled and flapped his wings twice, stretching them out over the boys. Hiccup smiled. Flynn raised his head to look into the Night Fury's eyes. Warmth radiated from the creature's body as he began to curl around the two humans.

"I don't think Toothless has an issue." Flynn whispered, placing an open palm on Toothless' chest. He looked back to Hiccup.

"That's because he's a dragon. They don't act on human thoughts or emotions… usually."

Flynn chuckled. Hiccup looked at Toothless and saw the warmth and love of his dragon reflected in his big yellow-green eyes. He could see his own reflection, the fragile fear sliding across his features mirrored in Toothless' piercing gaze. Toothless had always been there to support and protect him. Even now, Toothless was by his side. Even if Flynn could never be his, Hiccup knew he would be alright.

"You know… no one has to know."

Hiccup looked at Flynn's face. The older male's eyes were unfocused as his face shifted from tenderness to thoughtfulness. Hiccup smiled, noticing the slight pout on Flynn's lower lip. Flynn got this pout whenever he was really thinking hard about something.

"Why don't we try it? It's a new adventure."

"Is that what you think of it?" Hiccup's heart squeezed tight at the thought that Flynn only saw this emotion as an adventure- a game.

"No… but if you think of it as an adventure, it makes exploring this-" Flynn waved his hand in the open space between himself and Hiccup, "a little less complicated. Don't you think so?"

Hiccup nodded. He understood Flynn's thoughts entirely.

"What happens if we get found out? Nothing happens on the island without my father hearing about it."

Flynn sighed. He looked to Toothless.

"He's got your back. You'll be safe. If that happens, I'll have to get back to Corona. Or maybe somewhere else. Either way… I think I need a dragon."

Hiccup hated the idea of losing Flynn, but he knew that if they were found out, leaving Berk was the safest thing for him. He had no clue how his father, mother- or Astrid for that matter- would take knowing about his affection for other male.

But he wanted this.

So Hiccup smiled. He stood up and reached for Flynn's hand. He pulled the other man to his feet and then wrapped him in a tight embrace. He could feel his own heart beating in his chest, and he could feel Flynn's mirroring his own. When he pulled away from the embrace he brought his hands to either side of Flynn's face. He leaned in and gently placed his lips to Flynn's, closing his eyes as he savored the brief moment of touch. His heart began to settle as his mind made the realization that this was actually happening.

"Then, it's settled. Let's get you back to Berk and get you a dragon."


	8. Chapter 8

**==Okay my lovelies! Here is the next chapter! Hope you enjoy, and as always, feel free to comment, or PM me, or whatever you like! Happy Reading!==**

Chapter 8

"Hiccup! Where have you been?"

"We were out riding Toothless. Why?"

Stoick looked with disdain at his son. Sure, the boy was 20. But that didn't give him the right to shirk his responsibilities. He was the next chief after all. And the brunette… Stoick was certain this new change in behavior had everything to do with him.

"We need you here. Fall will be starting soon and we need to prepare for winter. New dragons need training, and new riders with them. You have work to do. The storms are coming in again too; the wind says this next one will be bad."

Hiccup nodded and did not protest. Usually Hiccup had some sarcastic retort when he was being chastised, but for once the boy was silent.

"And I thought he was supposed to leave." Stoick said in annoyance, his eyes boring into Flynn's face. Flynn began to look away from him, his face beginning to change color.

"Well, he was. But I was showing him around Berk and he would like to stay a little longer. I don't mind him staying- it's not like we get many visitors this far north of… well, anywhere."

"But isn't he supposed to be getting married today?" Valka asked, walking up to the group of three men, her hands full of vegetables to be cooked. Behind her, Cloud Jumper followed, nudging along a single sheep. He cocked his head to the side in confusion when his rider did not head in the direction of the house but after noticing Stoick and the others, once again began to herd the sheep to its certain death.

Hiccup and Flynn nodded in unison.

"Well, that isn't the right thing to do- leave a woman waiting like this."

Stoick nodded in agreement.

"Son. Make this right or Thor almighty…"

"I got it dad. I got it. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Stoick nodded in smug approval and turned to kiss his wife on the cheek. He began to stalk down the hillside to the docks. Hiccup was acting strange- there was no doubt about that. But the question was why?

Ever since that boy arrived, Hiccup had been shirking his work, and his friends. Even Astrid was becoming upset. Hiccup was not allowing anyone else to fly with them, and he would be gone all day and sometimes most of the night. Why? What was that Flynn boy doing? Why was Hiccup all of a sudden so interested in people's lives outside of Berk? Was his son actuall _trying_ to pull apart someone's marriage?

"Skullcrusher!" Stoick bellowed. He needed to do a daily fly around the island to make sure everything was safe. The dragon came rumbling down the Cliffside, and landed with a loud _thud_ beside his rider.

"Let's do our jobs, so that my son can fail at his." Stoick said with a resigned sigh. He knew Hiccup would not take Flynn home the next morning. The boy would continue to be distracted by the brunette. It was what was going to be. With a deafening roar, Skullcrusher leapt into the air and began his daily circle of Berk.

In the distance, a storm was beginning to brew.

Rapunzel sighed and sat up. The old boat she had commandeered had been trusty so far, but she soon realized she had no clue where she was going. Beside her, Pascal lay hopelessly lifeless.

"Pascal, how much time has passed? Two days, three?"

Pascal raised his head and flicked his tail. It had been more than four days and they were no closer to land than they were of finding Eugene. Rapunzel sighed again.

"Ugh this is hopeless."

She wrapped her arms around her knees and hid her face from the burning sun. Maybe she should have stayed in Corona.

Pascal stood up and crawled up Rapunzel's skirt, coming to rest on her knee. He placed a foot on her head gently.

"Thanks Pascal… I'm okay. I promised I'd find him." Rapunzel choked back frustrated tears. She felt so inept. She was unable to navigate her way on the ocean. No amount of reading had prepared her for actually navigating these waters. And now that she was far enough from Corona that she could no longer see her home, Rapunzel had no notion of left or right. She coul be going in circles for all she knew.

"What do I do now Pascal?"

Rapunzel raised her head and sniffed quietly.

She needed to be strong. For her parents. For Eugene. And for herself.

Rapunzel stood up, picking up the small chameleon and placing him on her shoulder. She ran her fingers through her messy brown hair and looked out at the horizon. The water was barely moving: she could barely feel the pulsing of the waves as they lapped at the boat. In the distance, but not too far away, a rocky outcropping could be seen coming into view. A breeze began to pick up and soon it was a constant flow of air.

"Um… Pascal? Something's wrong."

The sunlight began to disappear as heavy black clouds moved in. Huge gusts of wind began to rock the little fishing boat dangerously from side to side, flinging Rapunzel onto her back as the water began to rise into the vessel.

"Pascal!" Rapunzel cried as the little chameleon was flung from her shoulder into a corner of the boat. As she reached forward to grab her friend, a loud roar was heard in the distance. It didn't sound quite right for thunder, but Rapunzel was more concerned about getting Pascal to safety.

"Gotcha!"

Her fingers closed around the little green creature and she pulled Pascal to her chest protectively. Water poured over her head, sending sharp pains through her entire body as she tried to remain in an upright position. The little creature made a quiet, happy squeak as he nuzzled close to Rapunzel as wave after wave crashed over them.

"I've got you Pascal, it's okay. Everything is alright." Rapunzel whispered, trying to stand. The water was pouring over the sides of the boat and the vessel had had about as much water as it could take, and any moment she knew the boat would start sinking. Rapunzel waded to the bow of the boat, shivering as the salt water claimed more of the ship.

"Ah-ouch!"

One small misstep caused Rapunzel's foot to sink through the boards of the fishing vessel, catching her ankle between the shattered wood. She began to pull at her leg, but the boards clung to her flesh- she couldn't move. Rapunzel cried out in frustration, putting her hands on top of her head for a brief moment and looking up to the angry sky.

This was not how she had wanted to die.

This was not what she wanted her last adventure to be.

Pascal was holding tightly to Rapunzel's arm as her struggles to break free lessened. He rested his head in the crook of her elbow and looked up at her with saddened golden-brown eyes.

"It's okay Pascal." Rapunzel sobbed, tears falling from her eyes and mixing with the water that had soaked her to the bone. "I guess we weren't meant to find him."

Another thunderous roar sounded, this time closer than before.

Suddenly the ship bucked out of the waves and shattered in midair, sending Rapunzel flying. She screamed and held tightly to her chameleon friend as she flew towards the angry water below her. Just before she went headfirst into the ocean, she noticed a large shadow nearby the ship's remains.

She couldn't get up for air.

Pascal was buried in the confines of her bodice, also losing air. Rapunzel tried to get her head to the surface. She felt her hand break through once, twice, three times. But her head could never reach the surface. Helplessly, she reached her arm out one more time as the remainder of her breath left her body.

Something took hold of her arm and pulled her from the ocean's deathly grip.

It was strong.

It was warm.

Rapunzel coughed up sea water and took in deep gulps of air. She tried to look around, but her eyes refused to see clearly. She could only hear distorted sounds... someone talking… was it to her?

Her eyes focused on something thick and red before they closed and she slipped into unconsciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

**==I'm going to apologize right now- I feel that this chapter is a little rushed and/or choppy. I've had the last two chapters sitting in Word for... well about a week. I was able to fix chapter 8 to my liking, but this chapter refused to budge. So I've decided to put it up for my lovely readers to critique. I hope you like it! Happy Reading!==**

Chapter 9

"Hiccup! Prepare a spot!" Astrid screamed as she burst into the chief's hut, startling Hiccup and Eugene just before they could start a heated make-out session. The young Viking sprang away from Eugene and immediately set to work, only asking why as an afterthought.

"Stoick rescued a young woman from the storm to the East of the island. She was alone. She's unconscious."

Eugene's heart sank. No one would be so far from land unless they were searching for something… or someone. A single young woman… would Rapunzel be so foolish as to leave Corona to look for him? Had he underestimated Rapunzel completely?

Hiccup threw the bowls and eating ware off the giant oak table, and carelessly flung a thick cloth over the bare wood.

"Flynn, run up and grab the pillow from my bed."

Eugene leapt into action, Hiccup's command breaking him out of his quickly spiraling trance. He jumped lightly up the stairs, his footsteps as quiet as dormice. He knew he only had moments to act before Stoick would burst through the door with the girl, so everything had to be ready. His fingertips barely had closed over the pillow when he heard the door slam open. Eugene groaned as he made a quick turn to throw the pillow down to Hiccup's waiting hands.

"Stoick, who is she? Has she said anything to you?" Valka's worried voice floated to Eugene's ears.

Stoick made no response.

Eugene crept down the stairs, now that the moment of panic had passed and preparations had been successfully made. He smiled to himself as he reached the landing.

And then his smile left.

Laying on the thick blanket, skin pale and icy looking, was Rapunzel. Her brown hair was laying limply on her face, and there were cuts and bruises all across her arms, chest and face. Her left ankle was bleeding slightly, and Eugene could just barely see the mottled purple mess that was her ankle.

He felt the strength leave his body. He did not fight to remain standing, and felt his knees thud heavily on the floor. He couldn't feel the sting of pain, nor could he hear Hiccup calling his name. He barely noticed the commotion around him. All he could see was Rapunzel.

"Flynn!"

Strong hands gripped his shoulders, shaking him. Hiccup's face moved in and obscured Rapunzel's body from view. Eugene felt his body shaking, and could feel tears running down his face.

"Come on, let's get you out of here for now."

Wordlessly, Eugene allowed himself to be raised back to his feet. In the corner, Astrid stood with her arms folded across her chest, her blue eyes searching for an answer to his behavior. Valka was tending to Rapunzel's wounds, her movements an organized panic. Stoick stood silent, staring first at Rapunzel, and then at Eugene. His eyes were cold as Eugene was shuffled past.

The door closed lightly behind him.

"That's it bud, let's go for a walk. Toothless, stay here."

Toothless had awoken when Eugene had flung himself into the bedroom, and had crept to the front door to be close to the action. Now, as the two brunettes left the house, he began to follow with eager strides. Upon hearing Hiccup's command, Toothless froze. He cocked his head to the side and after a moment, sat on his haunches.

They walked, for what seemed to Eugene like hours. They stopped at a large boulder that was covered in moss. The more Eugene looked at it, the more he noticed it was not an ordinary boulder, but a natural wall surrounding a gorge.

"Hiccup, where are we?"

Hiccup chuckled and wrapped his arms around Eugene from behind. "this is my secret place. It's where Toothless and I first bonded. Come on."

Hiccup stopped his embrace and laced his fingers through Eugene's, dragging him through the stone opening and into the gorge. Eugene froze as his eyes scanned the circular surroundings, his mind trying to process the beauty he beheld.

Below him, a large, clear lake sat calmly, the only movement on its surface the ripples from the fish coming up for air. Large, tall fir trees lined one side of the rock walls, and in between the two was a rather large clearing. Even from here, Eugene could see that the dirt in the clearing had not been touched in some time, but he could still make out faint markings in the ground.

"Wow. I could get used to a view like this." Eugene whispered.

"Come on."

"Hang on. Yup. I'm used to it."

Eugene placed his hands on his hips and stared out appraisingly at his surroundings. It was such a tranquil place. Even though it was perfect for relaxing, Eugene felt everything but relaxed. But that didn't stop him from trying to be the tough guy his reputation demanded he be.

"Hiccup, I want a clearing."

Hiccup had begun to climb down into the clearing but stopped when he heard his name. He looked up at Eugene with a smile as he shook his head.

"Come on down here Flynn. I promise you'll like it more."

Eugene sighed and began to climb down into the gorge, slipping halfway down. By the time he made it to flat, solid ground, Hiccup was lounging on one of the large boulders by the lake, the sun peeping over the ridge and shooting rays across his face.

Eugene walked over to him and climbed up onto the boulder, his boots nearly slipping off his feet. Hiccup chuckled and pulled Eugene up, cradling the man to his chest. They sat on top of the boulder for a few minutes, the sun's rays dancing lightly across their faces. Even though he was in distress over his fiancé, Eugene was calm, and content.

No words were spoken for what seemed like an eternity; the only sounds were the songs of the birds, the whistling of the wind in the trees and the _pop_ from the water's surface. Finally Hiccup spoke, his voice barley over a whisper.

"That was her, wasn't it?"

Eugene nodded and let out a deep breath.

"I didn't expect her to go looking for me. Not like that."

Hiccup nodded. He squeezed his arms a little tighter around Eugene.

"I suppose, when she wakes up, you will go back to Corona."

"Yes. Duty has come calling. Well… more like screaming."

Hiccup chuckled softly. "So our life together was extremely short-lived."

"I suppose so."

A large gust of wind blew the boys off balance, sending them crashing to the ground in a whirlwind of arms and legs. Eugene chuckled and began to untangle himself from Hiccup. He sat up, and let out another deep sigh.

He knew what he _had_ to do. But what he _wanted_ to do was a stronger urge to ignore. A life without adventure- without Hiccup- he had come to realize in the short time they had been together; was not a life. Nor was it a "life" he wanted.

But then again, neither was a life without Rapunzel.

Hiccup sat up, not bothering to hide the tears beginning to brim in his eyes. Eugene saw this boy, and every corner of his heart melted. Hiccup was special. He had spent years being alone- and that kind of loneliness could drive someone crazy.

But here he was: no longer alone, accepted. Even though he rarely felt it, he was loved by many. He could have as many friends as he wanted, he could have any woman in Berk, if he really wanted. There was nothing this boy could not have.

But, even after everything else the boy could possibly dream of having, Hiccup wanted Eugene.

It was a dizzying feeling: knowing that someone cared about you that much. And Eugene felt it double- Rapunzel had gone to the ends of the earth to find him. She had left her castle, her newfound parents, to find _him_. A lowly thief.

"Hey. It's not over yet." Eugene said, running his hands through Hiccup's tousled hair. "Come on." He opened his arms and beckoned the smaller brunette in to his embrace. When Hiccup had nestled himself tightly against Eugene's body, Eugene wrapped his arms around the boy and leaned back against the boulder.

He could feel Hiccup's nervous heartbeat.

"I still want you to stay here. I could share you with her… as long as you were here. I want to stay… like this."

"You don't mind sharing me?" Eugene asked blankly, surprise coming across his features. His cheeks began to flush a deep red.

"I know you love her. And I know you care for me." Hiccup turned the slightest bit to place his lips on Eugene's collarbone. "You can't deny it. I can hear your heart."

"I truly am a thief." Eugene mumbled to the sky.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing Hiccup. Just amazed at how much you care about a common thief like me."

It was silent again as the boys snuggled together beside the giant boulder. Eugene ran his fingers softly through Hiccup's hair, brushing it out o his face and off his forehead. Small drops of water began to fall onto their heads, but still they did not move. After a few minutes of playing with Hiccup's hair, Eugene realized that the boy he was cradling had fallen asleep.

Eugene let out a soft laugh.

"I may be the thief," he said to the sleeping boy, "but you have stolen the remainder of my heart."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hiccup awoke to the soft sound of Flynn's snores. At the edge of the clearing, Toothless stood, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. He didn't move, but he fixed his gaze on Hiccup and snorted. Hiccup lowered his eyes.

He had forgotten that he had left Toothless at the house, and had said he would be back soon. As Hiccup looked around, he noticed that it was almost completely dark. He sat up carefully, so as not to wake Flynn, and stretched- slowly working the sore, tense muscles. His clothes were soaked and clinging to every inch of his body.

"Sorry bud. Come on over. We should be heading back."

Toothless snorted again but walked over to Hiccup. He turned his gaze to Flynn and warbled softly. Hiccup nodded.

"I don't want to wake him though. He looks so cute while he sleeps."

"Wake who now?"

Hiccup jumped at the female voice that protruded from the darkness behind him.

"A-Astrid…"

"Hiccup we have been looking for you. I'm just lucky I thought to follow Toothless. You have been gone for hours. What have you two been doing?"

Astrid's voice was tight. Hiccup knew she had seen them sleeping together- there was no other reason for her change in tone. This was his chance to come clean and be honest.

"Well, I was just…"

"Hiccup. You left Toothless. What exactly is it with this guy that has you all twisted up?"

"Astrid-"

"Hiccup. I saw you two. Don't lie to me."

"If you would just give me a chance to explain…"

"Well? I'm waiting."

Hiccup sighed. He glanced down and looked at Flynn.

"We're… I'm… I was… Ugh."

Astrid reached for her axe. "If you are afraid to talk in front of him I can fix that."

"No. No Astrid."

Toothless growled and placed his wings protectively around Flynn's still body. From beneath the wings, Hiccup could hear Flynn turn slightly and smack his lips. He couldn't help but smile.

"Hiccup."

"We're together. Alright?"

Astrid's eyes widened and she took a single step back.

"What do you mean, 'together'?" Astrid whispered, her blue eyes hardening as her voice shook just the slightest bit.

Hiccup sighed.

"We… well… we're dating."

"That's not possible. He's engaged."

"That's why he hasn't left. We're together. And that's how I want it to stay."

"But Hiccup-"

"You can't tell anyone about this Astrid. No one was supposed to find out."

"But…"

"Astrid."

"Hiccup, I think that his fiancé is here on Berk. That is why he was acting that way."

"I know." Hiccup ran his hands through his still soaking wet hair. His heart was squeezing tightly in his chest, threatening to escape from his body. He sighed and whispered, "I know."

Astrid's face softened slightly. She reached out to place a reassuring hand on Hiccup's shoulder. It didn't really do much to ease his mind.

"Hiccup… you need to let him leave Berk and get married."

Hiccup shot a sharp glare at Astrid. She frowned back at him but did not move away, as he had hoped.

"This was planned before you 'swooped in' and rescued him. It's his right, and duty, to marry that girl." Astrid sighed. "I should have seen this sooner. I could have put a stop to it before it had even began."

"Astrid you don't understand-"

"Hiccup don't try to rationalize this. It won't work."

"No, Astrid listen-"

"Hiccup, I'm trying to help you!" Astrid screamed, pushing Hiccup away as she turned on her heel. "You'll thank me later. Stoick needs to know."

Hiccup's heart dropped into his stomach. He watched his memories with Flynn flash before his eyes as Astrid began to run up the cliff back to the village. There were only two choices: run after Astrid and stop her, or take Flynn and run away from Berk forever.

"What's going on?" Flynn mumbled from underneath Toothless' wings.

"Nothing Flynn, just stay here. I'll be right back. Toothless let's go. We have to stop her."

"Stop who?"

"Astrid. I'll be back in a few. I have to stop her from telling my dad."

Flynn shot out of Toothless' protective wings like a rocket. Toothless stretched his wings and Hiccup jumped onto his back. Flynn began to say something, but Hiccup couldn't hear as Toothless leapt into the air and his strong wing beats drowned out all other noise.

He had to get to Astrid. Before everything around him fell to pieces.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Even with all the "fury", Toothless was not fast enough to catch Astrid. When the two had caught up to her she was standing breathlessly in front of Stoick, who looked ready to rip the entire village down the middle. Hiccup's heart sank even deeper when he saw the small brunette behind his father.

This was all wrong.

A single pair of bright green eyes turned to face him. They were wide- afraid and unsure. The girl who belonged to the gaze was small and visibly shaken. Her eyes… she knew. No one was supposed to find out. Her lip quivered, and Hiccup saw her hold herself tighter. He was unsure if it was from the chill of Berk, or if she was cold. But as Astrid continued to speak, her eyes went from frightened and unsure to angry. This was supposed to be his precious secret. This was supposed to end differently.

"Dad!" Hiccup called, dismounting Toothless and running- to the best of his ability- to face his father. He couldn't stop them from knowing, but he could attempt collateral damage control.

"Hiccup. Where is Flynn?"

The girl looked directly at Hiccup at the mention of Flynn's name. Her eyes softened just the slightest bit.

"He's-"

"I'll go get him Stoick." Astrid said, swinging up onto Stormfly and flying away before Hiccup of Stoick could say otherwise. Hiccup was left facing his father, the anger completely visible and tangible as it radiated from his skin.

"So… dad-"

"Keeping secrets again Hiccup?"

Short and to the point. Stoick's response was a slap to the face, even though Hiccup had been expecting it. He was not expecting the lack of shouting though.

"Dad, I need to… ugh… this all so messed up."

"Did you forget that nothing happens on this island without me finding out about it?"

"Dad…"

"You know what you have done, haven't you boy?"

Hiccup sighed and dropped his gaze. Stoick was not going to listen. It had taken a Red Death and Hiccup nearly dying for him to realize that dragons were not what he had thought they were. Why would he understand in words what Hiccup was thinking or doing? In Stoick's eyes, Hiccup had endangered all of Berk. Again. Just like when he was fifteen.

"This girl is his fiancé. We will be taking them both back to their home. You have been grounded. Toothless is being put in a cage until we get back. And so are you. Hopefully I can clean up your mess this time."

Stoick turned away and walked up the hill toward the chief's house. The brunette stood in silence in front of Hiccup, her wide eyes sad as she took in his pitiful form. Tears were threatening to bristle into existence from his eyes. Hiccup looked down at the ground and sniffed as quietly as he could.

He would go back to being lonely. Toothless his only company. It couldn't be that bad- going back to that. They could travel the world again. He could go back to searching for something to fill the hole in his heart.

"It's true then?"

The whisper came from the brunette in front of him. She had not moved, as Hiccup had hoped. He risked a glance up and felt a single tear float down his face. Her eyes widened and she began to reach out to him.

"I'm sorry…" was all Hiccup could choke out as he stepped away from her.

"It's alright."

Hiccup froze.

The girl smiled slightly and let out a heavy breath. She took another step toward him and this time Hiccup did not move. She walked right to him and placed her tiny hands around his arm. For someone so small, Hiccup was surprised to find out she was so strong. He looked down and noticed her head buried in his arm. Her shoulders were shaking silently.

"I'm just glad he is alright."

"Hey…"

Hiccup placed his free hand on her head and brushed her smooth brown hair back from her face. He realized how Flynn could have fallen in love with her. She was beautiful. And kind. Everything that Flynn had told him had been true.

"Rapunzel."

At the mention of her name, Rapunzel raised her head and looked into Hiccup's eyes.

"What?" she sighed, trying to hide her tears.

"I…"

"He's easy to love, isn't he?" She stepped away from him and wiped the tears from her face. "He was a common thief when I met him. The woman who raised me had said that all men were monsters with pointy teeth. Eugene had climbed into my tower and I hit him with my frying pan."

"Ouch."

Rapunzel giggled. "I made a deal with him-"

"To take you to see the lanterns."

Rapunzel looked at Hiccup in surprise. Hiccup shrugged his shoulders and smiled sheepishly.

"He told me the story."

"Well, his side anyway." She smiled and sat on a nearby rock. "Now I'm telling you mine. About halfway through our journey, I realized I was falling in love with him. He let me in, and I had never had any human friends."

She laughed quietly and looked up to the sky. It was pitch black, but every star could be seen.

"He's had a rough life, but even so, he is so kind. Down-to-earth. He is easy to love."

"I need to be honest- I had intended to bring him back."

"Sometimes what we want to do and what happens are very different." Rapunzel sighed and set her gaze back to Hiccup. "I only intended to see the lanterns. I ended up falling in love and finding my real home. I ended up losing my magic hair."

"I-"

"I don't blame you for anything. You have kept him safe. To be honest, I knew he was restless. Every day for the last month or so he would wake up with nightmares. He never would tell me about them though. I thought it might be the idea of becoming royalty- it's a lot to get in to, and for someone who grew up with all the freedom he wanted, well…"

"He had nightmares?"

Rapunzel nodded. "I asked him about it once, but he smiled and said it was nothing. He said 'Don't worry, it's nothing. I'll be alright.' And then he started rising early, leaving the castle for long walks." She sighed. "I probably should have pressured him for an answer."

"He's never had any nightmares here. At least not that I've noticed."

"That's good." Rapunzel whispered, looking back up to the sky.

It was silent and Hiccup shifted his weight uncomfortably. So far she was nothing like he had expected.

"I've never seen the stars so clearly before."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

Silence again. For some reason, not a dragon or Viking was anywhere near them, even though they were in the center of Berk. Astrid was taking her time bringing Flynn back too.

"So, dragons are real?" Rapunzel said, perking up unexpectedly.

"Uh… yeah. I was planning on giving one to Flynn… when I finally was going to bring him back. So he could visit."

Rapunzel giggled. "He decided to go by Flynn again, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"His real name is Eugene. Flynn was his thief name. Flynn Rider. Most wanted thief in all of Corona." Rapunzel laughed. "He got the idea from a book when he was a kid."

"He never told me that."

"Did you ever ask?"

"No… I was too busy showing him around Berk and listening to stories about you."

Rapunzel stopped laughing and frowned slightly. "He told stories about me?"

Hiccup nodded. "About how you met, the lanterns, and how he cut your hair to save you from Gothel. Those are the ones he talks about the most, when he isn't talking about your eyes or smile."

Rapunzel smiled.

Hiccup was going to say more but was interrupted by a high pitched scream that started above him. Hiccup and Rapunzel looked up in unison to see a white blob falling rapidly toward him. Hiccup heard Stormfly's pleased gurgle. He knew what that falling blob was.

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried as he held out his hands to catch the falling man. Toothless reacted too fast, and he crashed into the rock beside Rapunzel. He stood up and shook his giant head to clear it and by the time he was turning around, Flynn was making contact with Hiccup's outstretched arms and body.

Hiccup felt the full force of Flynn's weight and felt his legs buckle beneath him. He was vaguely aware of the ground supporting his fall, but he was mostly aware of Flynn lying spread eagle on his own body, and the lack of breath in his lungs.

Toothless waddled up to the fallen boys and sniffed worriedly for a moment.

"Thank you for nothing… you useless… reptile." Hiccup sighed. Toothless warbled gently and took Flynn's shirt in his mouth, pulling the larger brunette up and off of Hiccup. Once Hiccup could breathe again, he sat up and looked at Flynn.

The man was frozen. His eyes were wide as he stared at Rapunzel. Rapunzel stared back, her eyes tearing up again.

"Rapunzel…I-"

Rapunzel leapt into Flynn's arms and wrapped him in a tight embrace, knocking the wind out of the boy and silencing his words.

"I'm so glad you're alright."

"Rapunzel…"

"Eugene. It's alright. You don't have to apologize. I'm just glad… I'm glad…"

Tears began to run freely down Rapunzel's face. Her shoulders shook and she covered her mouth with her hand. Flynn sat on the cold ground, his arms wrapped tightly around the girl.

Hiccup stood apart from the two, watching silently. Beside him, Toothless stood, his tail wrapped protectively around Hiccup's legs. He saw the tenderness in Flynn's hands as he brushed Rapunzel's hair from her face. The silent strength in his arms as he held her close to him. Hiccup shook his head lightly, forcing the tears that threatened to emerge back.

There were other problems facing him now. He would not get a chance to accompany them to Corona. He would not get to say good-bye. He wouldn't see them married, happily or not. And the dragon he had selected for Flynn would never be given to him.

But deep down in his heart, Hiccup knew it was okay. He had loved every moment with Flynn. He had loved hearing the boy's laugh, or his surprised shriek. He had fallen in love with his soft voice telling stories of a woman Hiccup had never seen. And then the realization hit him hard. There would be no happy life with Astrid. There would be only Toothless and Hiccup, because Hiccup had fallen in love. For all the right reasons.

Without a word Hiccup mounted Toothless and the two took to the air.

Rapunzel was right.

Flynn was easy to love.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Eugene stood at the base of the stairs leading to Hiccup's room. He let out a pensive sigh and shook his head. He knew Hiccup wasn't up there. Rapunzel sat at the table eating a bowl of soup. Pascal was curled by the fire, fast asleep.

A soft _clank_ of a bowl being set on the table pulled Eugene from his watch.

"You know… if you want to see him, you can. I'm not going to stop you."

"It's not that simple Rapunzel." Eugene said with another sigh. "He isn't up there."

"How do you know?"

Soft arms wrapped around his chest from behind, and Eugene felt the warmth of Rapunzel's body pressed against his own. He smiled slightly at the sweet, affectionate touch she had.

"I just know. I'd be able to hear Toothless. Hiccup's usually attached to that dragon."

Rapunzel nodded and brought her hands up to Eugene's hair. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. Hiccup was running through it, and refused to stop.

"It's time to let him go." Eugene whispered, mentally beating himself up for the quiver in his voice. He was sure Rapunzel picked up on it, though if she did, she didn't mention it.

"You know… _Flynn Rider_ …"

Eugene smiled at Rapunzel's emphasis on his old moniker. She was trying to lighten his mood.

"You should come sit by the fire. Talk to me."

"No, Rapunzel, I can't-"

"Tell me some things about him. You told him stories about me, so I think it's only fair."

"He told you about that?"

Rapunzel nodded and hummed lightly.

"So come on. Tell me how you met. Tell me about his dragon. How did this… relationship…" Rapunzel paused when she said the word relationship, as if contemplating the consequences of using that term, "begin? I would like to know."

Eugene sighed. There was no getting around it. She did deserve to know. But he had hoped that Hiccup could have been there with him, instead of completely MIA. He followed Rapunzel's lead to the fireplace, and sat down beside her. She put her elbows on her knees and her hands under her head. She turned those big green eyes to his, and she smiled. The only sound was the crackling of the fire, and the sound of their breathing.

"Well… I had gone for a walk. It was a little earlier than normal, I guess. I was planning on going to the bridge. I got there and I thought I was hearing things- you know, wing beats and stuff. I was about to head back in when I ran into my old friends…"

"The Stabbington Brothers. They were caught and are back in jail."

"Good. Keep them there. Anyway- they wanted me to steal them some gold so they could get out of Corona. Then, when I refused they tied me up and gagged me. They were going to throw me into the sea. But before they did, they were knocked out and tied up."

"They should be hanged for their crimes. Not just for stealing, but the ones against the crown." Rapunzel spat, a frown covering her features almost completely. Then her features softened and she moved a little closer to Eugene. "So he saved you from certain death."

Eugene nodded.

"He offered to take me flying around the castle. And when he said he should drop me off, I asked to go farther. We got caught in a storm… and ended up back here. He was going to bring me back once the storm lifted, but that night we stayed up, switching stories."

Rapunzel giggled, obviously imagining Eugene and Hiccup sitting in the firelight, telling stories like two teenage girls. Eugene did admit that it was a pretty silly image, and decided that he needed to make this part of the story manlier for future reference.

"And then you decided to stay."

"Well, no."

"Why not? I would have."

Eugene chuckled. Rapunzel wasn't a good liar, so he knew that what she said was true.

"You would have left your parents?"

"Mmmm… No. Yes? Maybe?"

"I don't think you would have. Not willingly at least."

"Ah…" Rapunzel sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "So then what happened?"

"He started showing me around Berk. All his secret places. Riding Toothless. It's utterly amazing to be able to fly Rapunzel."

"Hmm… you know, I would like to, at least once, before we leave here. Hiccup mentioned that he planned on giving you a dragon. I wonder if that's still the case?"

Eugene let out a sigh and shook his head. "I honestly have no clue. And I don't know where he is."

"The chief said something about grounding him."

"What? No… no that would break his heart. And Toothless…"

"What does it mean?"

Rapunzel squeaked and dove behind Eugene as the front door of the hut was blown open and Hiccup emerged. His clothes were soaked and his face was twisted in anguish. Behind him, Stoick and Valka emerged, Astrid the last to come through the door.

"It means that I can't fly my dragon."

Rapunzel stood up and walked over to the young boy.

"Hiccup, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. This is his punishment."

"But-"

"Rapunzel it's okay." Hiccup whispered, crumpling into the chair at the table.

Eugene's heart crumbled in his chest. Seeing Hiccup so upset was heart shattering. He didn't know what to do- he had never dealt with being forbidden to do the one thing that brought him life. He had never had his pet ripped away from him. He'd never had a pet to begin with.

"No, Hiccup. It's not."

"Flynn…"

"Chief Stoick the Vast? May I request something of you?" Eugene turned his attention to Hiccup's father, squaring his shoulders in determination.

"What?"

"Well… it's a two part request. Maybe three."

"The answer will probably be no."

"I'm going to ask anyway."

"Flynn what are you doing?"

"Hiccup, just shut up and let me talk. Stoick. As you know, Hiccup has been grounded. The first part of my request is that he accompanies us back to Corona, as part of the escort."

"No."

"The second part of my request is as follows." Eugene continued, ignoring Stoick's first answer. "I would like a pair of dragons, one for me, and one for Rapunzel."

"No."

"The reason I ask for them is so that I can ride. I have grown used to it and would love to be able to continue- and Rapunzel wishes to ride for fun, not just for transport."

"The answer is still no."

"My third and final part…"

"Let me guess. You want to be able to come back here and visit. Well let me tell you-"

"I was thinking on opening trade between Berk and Corona. You have a lot of valuable things here, and I'm sure we have things you could use. I thought it would be something for you to think about."

"What? Eugene!"Rapunzel cried, her eyes virtually bugging out of her head.

"Flynn, what are you-"

"Is it really such a bad idea?" Eugene asked, his eyebrow raised in confusion. "I'd been thinking about it for a few days."

"It's not bad." Rapunzel said with a sigh. "It's just kind of new and strange for you to get interested in trade. I agree it would be good for Corona though."

"So what would this… treaty… entail?" Stoick asked slowly. Eugene shrugged.

"I honestly don't know. It was just an idea I had. I hadn't figured out anything more."

Stoick was silent as he thought. Eugene looked at the big man with baited breath, his eyes wide and a little frightened. His heart was beating fast, in the hopes that the chief would accept the idea. Maybe then he would at least be able to see Hiccup a little bit. Rapunzel squeezed his arm once, a signal of support.

"We shall talk about this treaty on the way to Corona. Hiccup, get your things. It is time for you to be placed in the dungeon for protective custody until we return."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Rapunzel crept quietly along the dirt roads of Berk, trying to find where they had locked the giant black dragon, and the matching rider. So far there had been no luck.

Eugene was asleep, though only after she hit him upside the head… again. The nightmares had taken a hold as he tried to sleep. It was the only way for Rapunzel to get her job done without Eugene knowing what she was doing.

What was she doing?

Trying to free the chief-to-be and his dragon, trying to attain two dragons for Eugene and herself. Going completely behind a parent's back and doing what she wanted to do. This song and dance was all too familiar with her, except this time, her own emotions were in check. This was something she needed to do for Eugene.

Rapunzel sighed quietly. Pascal perched on her shoulder, looking left to right quick enough that it seemed he had whiplash.

"I should try to find Hiccup first. He'll be able to find Toothless. That was his name, right Pascal?"

The chameleon nodded and patted Rapunzel's cheek. Then he used his tail as a pointer- pointing down the hill a little ways to a large door engraved into the rock. It was the wrong direction to be the main hall, where Rapunzel had spent a lot of the afternoon after she had awoken. Stoick had saved her life. She knew this was a terrible way to thank him.

But all the same. Eugene was more important.

All she wanted was for him to be happy.

She was thankful that no Vikings or dragons were out and roaming as she snuck about. It would have been much harder to maneuver the already new terrain if she was dodging humans and winged beasts as well. As she approached the giant door, Rapunzel realized she didn't have any idea how to release the boy from his cell, if she found him. Not only that, but if she were to run into guards before reaching him…

These thoughts froze Rapunzel in her tracks.

"What am I thinking? I can't do this… I mean… I want to. For him. For both of them."

Pascal rubbed his face on Rapunzel's cheek in comfort. Then the little green chameleon climbed down Rapunzel's dress and began walking under the door. Rapunzel waited a few moments in panic.

"Pascal?" she whispered, reaching out to open the door. "Pascal where did you go?"

The door opened quietly. As Rapunzel stared down the long hallway that stretched into the rock, she noticed dim light toward the end of the tunnel. The place was empty. Pascal had used himself as a decoy, in the event that there had been someone here. He climbed back up her skirt with a smart grin on his scaley features. She smiled and stepped into the darkness.

"Hiccup?"

"Astrid?"

"Mmm… no. Not Astrid." Rapunzel walked quietly, following the wall with one hand, her eyes glued to the yellow glow frozen at the end of the tunnel. As she neared the cell which held the brunette, Rapunzel heard Hiccup gasp quietly.

"Rapunzel, what are you doing?"

"Oh… did you want to stay in here alone?"

"No, but it's what my father has ordered. And anyways, shouldn't you be with Flynn?"

"Eugene is asleep. He doesn't know what I'm doing."

Hiccup chuckled bitterly.

"He's gonna have a headache when he wakes up…I'll have to apologize for that." Rapunzel sighed with a slight frown. "But I needed to do this."

"What did you do? What are you doing?" Hiccup asked, standing up and walking to the cell bars. His green eyes burned with curiosity.

Rapunzel held her breath for a second and then leaned against the bars."I hit him over the head with a metal bar I found in your room."

"Ouch… why?"

"Nightmares."

"That's doesn't-"

"He kept waking up before I could leave. So I… knocked him out."

"Why-"

"I'm getting you out of here. And then we have to find your dragon. I know you're supposed to be grounded, but Eugene is just so upset, and you didn't get to say goodbye and I want to bring dragons to Corona so he and I have something fun to do."

Hiccup was silent for a minute. He smiled and shook his head in resignation.

"He was right. You are stubborn."

"I prefer the term 'free-spirited', but yes. I am. Now shall we go?"

Hiccup nodded.

"The keys are at the front of the cave, by the door."

"Damn. I didn't even bother to look for them."

Just then Pascal tapped on Rapunzel's foot, dropping the keys on the ground. Rapunzel hadn't realized the chameleon leaver her side.

"Oh Pascal… thank you!"

"Come on. I know where they put Toothless." Hiccup said as Rapunzel unlocked the door to Hiccup's cell. "I get the feeling I'm going to have to move fast… aren't I?"

"Yeah… probably." Rapunzel whispered, following the one legged boy out into the open night air.

"You go back to Flynn. I'll get Toothless and find two dragons. I'll take them off Berk. I will have to wait for my dad to leave before bringing them to Corona though…"

"Fly to Corona." Rapunzel said, grabbing Hiccup's arm tightly. "Go past the bridge into the forest. After about three hours, you should come across a large stone ridge- it's kind of circular, and high. In the middle of that ridge is a single lonely tower. It has food. Stay there. I'll bring Eugene to you when Stoick's gone."

"That's-"

"Where I spent eighteen years. Yes. It's safe though." She reached up on to her toes and gave Hiccup's cheek a light kiss. "That was for taking care of him. Now go. I'll see you soon."

Hiccup nodded, his cheeks flushing lightly, visible even in the dark.

Rapunzel watched as Hiccup ran down the ramps of Berk and out of sight. She smiled to herself and ran back to the chief's hut. Quietly, she crept back into Hiccup's room, to the still unconscious Eugene. She sat beside him and brushed his brown hair from across his face. Eugene would be surprised, and happy. The smile on his face would be perfect to behold. Maybe it would make up for beating him upside the head... again.

Maybe everything would end up alright.


	14. Chapter 14

**==So... this chapter was a long time coming. I'm sorry it's taking me forever to post! This chapter is split into three POVs: Stoick's, Eugene's and Hiccup's, as they begin their own journeys. There will be multiple POVs for the next chapter at least... maybe more. Just a heads up for my lovely readers so they know what to expect! I hope you guys enjoy it. As always, feel free to comment what you liked, disliked, or if you just have comments or questions! Happy Reading!==**

Chapter 14

Stoick glared at the open cell that was supposed to house a Night Fury. He had woken up early to finish preparations for the journey ahead; and instead found a mutiny. Empty cells, for both boy and dragon; pristine- as if no one had been there.

Both of the royal visitors were sound asleep in Hiccup's room. And even when questioned, neither of them knew what had happened. Rapunzel was new to Berk, so he knew there was no real way for her to be of use in Hiccup's escape. And Flynn was genuinely surprised to find out his short-time lover had escaped.

Stoick was at a loss. He had a job to do, but he also needed to find his son- and figure out how to punish the boy for his lack of obedience. But the royal couple had to come first.

"Let's get going, before the storms come again. Stoick, don't worry. I'm sure he'll be back." Valka was at Stoick's side, her hands betraying her calm demeanor as they nervously smoothed down the chief's shoulder armor. Stoick sighed.

"I'll be back within a week, my love."

With a peck on the cheek, Stoick left Valka and headed for the center of Berk, where Flynn, Rapunzel and the rest of the envoy sat, waiting. Stoick leapt on to Skullcrusher with ease and with a single whispered word to the dragon, began to lift off- the rest of the dragon envoy following.

Eugene didn't understand.

Hiccup wouldn't have just disobeyed his father like that. No matter how upset the boy was. Unless he had good reason to.

Eugene was not that good reason.

He knew Rapunzel well enough by now to know the girl was hiding something. But whatever it was, she wasn't spilling the beans. It probably had something to do with Hiccup. But he couldn't remember…

He had been hit with a frying pan again.

She claimed it was to help him sleep. But Eugene had a feeling that was just a cover-up. She had done something.

But he couldn't talk to her now. They weren't even on the same dragon. She sat behind Astrid and he was stuck behind Snotlout. Lucky him… the boy reeked. But at least he wasn't stuck behind the chief- that would just be awkward.

So he sat. In silence. His brain trying to figure out what happened to Hiccup. Trying to figure out what his fiancé had done. He stared down at the water below him, deep grey-green. The sun was shining between grey clouds. It was difficult to say how long they had been riding. One thing was for sure- it had been long enough that Eugene was no longer able to feel his legs.

They needed to rest soon… right?

Eugene looked ahead to where his fiancé sat. She had her arms tightly around Astrid's waist, and Eugene could tell from where he sat that Astrid was uncomfortable.

 _Good. Serves her right for throwing me off the dragon._

Suddenly, Stoick signaled for a break. Eugene saw a small island ahead, as the dragons began their descent. He would be able to talk with Rapunzel. Stretch his legs. Try to escape his fate.

Hiccup sighed in relief as he broke camp for the night. Rapunzel had given him a good head start. He just hoped that she and Flynn were doing okay on the long flight back to  
Corona. He knew it was a long trip. A two day minimum- in good weather, a steady pace and minimal stops. He was sure that his father would want them back to their home as soon as possible, so he would keep a steady pace.

All Hiccup had to do was stay out of Skullcrusher's scent trail. If the tracker class dragon picked up his scent, it could mean a severe change of plans for the homing party. And it would mean a lot of trouble for Hiccup.

He was in a lot of trouble already anyway. Facing Stoick once this was all over and done with was going to be painful- at the very least. Stoick would probably kill him for the mutiny. But at least he'll be able to see Flynn and Rapunzel one last time, before he died.

"Well bud, what do you think of this as a wedding present?" Hiccup asked, his voice locking up just the slightest bit. He had, of course, been secretly hoping that Rapunzel would never come, and that he and Flynn could be together. And now, the horrible truth was staring him in the face: Flynn could never be with him, because he already had Rapunzel. He had already made promises to her.

Toothless warbled warmly and snuggled up to the two Nadders that had accompanied them so far on the journey- Hiccup's resent to the couple. They squawked and nuzzled close, forming a protective barrier for Hiccup to sleep in.

He was exhausted.

They had kept a steady pace all day, only stopping for water, and Hiccup estimated that they would get to the secret tower by about noontime tomorrow. Then the dragons could get some much needed rest. Hiccup snuggled in close to the warm dragons and sighed as he tried to close his eyes for the sleep he knew he needed.

But he wasn't tired.

He felt empty. Flynn was usually by his side, snoring lightly, or making jokes, or even laying with his arms wrapped around Hiccup. It wasn't his first night without Flynn, but the night before Hiccup had spent the majority of it determined to stay awake. But tonight, as Hiccup tried to really sleep… he could feel the loneliness setting in.

Just like when he was younger.

He hadn't had a real human friend until after he fought the Death. And even after that, he sometimes felt that the Riders were only his friends because it gave them something to do. His father was still kind of stand-offish, and his mother had only recently come back into the picture. He had been alone, for so long. And Flynn had been the first friend he had made, not because he had killed the Red Death, but because Flynn had wanted to be friends. And lovers.

Now he was alone again. He knew he couldn't go back to Astrid. Not the way he felt now. He would be lying to himself just as much as he would be lying to her. And then there was his mother and father…

Hiccup shivered and drew himself closer to Toothless. He didn't want to think about what his parents would think of the new development. They were both expecting Astrid to be his wife- and soon, even. But Hiccup couldn't commit to that prospect anymore.

In his mind, he knew it was the wrong thing to do. But his heart told him otherwise. And before this, Hiccup had always followed his heart, with little care to what his head had to say. It was what led him to Toothless, and to his mother. But this… this was just too different, and his heart and head were colliding with heavy force.

Hiccup grumbled as his heart threatened to split from his chest. The pain he was feeling could not have been worse. The fear. The anger and frustration. The sadness. It was crashing down on him like the waves of an ocean in a storm.

All he wanted to do was cry. He wanted to curse Flynn's name for being alive; for causing his world to flip inside out. Hiccup wanted to curse himself for allowing himself to be tempted by the older male.

But no matter what he tried, he could never bring himself to actually do it.

Once again Hiccup shifted closer to Toothless, a quiet whimper of frustration passing from his lips. The Night Fury set his yellow-green eyes on Hiccup and nuzzled his rider, wrapping his wings around the boy, encasing him in a soft, warm leather blanket. Hiccup sighed heavily.

"Thanks bud."

Toothless warbled lightly in response and curled himself into a ball, further protecting his rider. There was a slight rumble coming from Toothless' chest, giving Hiccup a light, relaxing vibration to help him rest. Hiccup smiled and began to drift off to sleep: a thing that he had been eluding for over two days.

He would worry about his next move in the morning.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Rapunzel!"

The Queen of Corona ran to embrace her daughter as the Viking party landed at the docks, tears filling her eyes. Everyone else had run screaming as the small armada of dragons approached. The king was close on his wife's heels, his big arms enveloping both girls in a tight embrace.

"I was worried sick! I thought I'd lost you! The wedding is cancelled just as you said… oh darling where were you?"

"Well…"

Eugene cleared his throat. He had been mentally practicing for this moment for the last few hours of the ride, but now that the time had come, he couldn't remember any of what he had rehearsed. The king and queen turned to look at him, their eyes cold and angry.

"I need to apologize for… my actions. And for putting Rapunzel in danger."

The king nodded, but was silent. The queen brought her daughter into a tighter embrace.

"I should say you do." The queen said. "But that doesn't excuse what you have done-"

"I understand, milady. Which is why I… I am leaving."

This news was greeted with a chorus of what's and why's, including Stoick and the Viking party. Rapunzel shot out of her mother's grasp, her big green eyes widening with tears.

"Eugene!"

"I think it's for the best. Rapunzel, I love you. But I'm not good for you. I need you to be safe. And I'm no good with diplomacy. I'd make a terrible king."

Every word Eugene spoke, he felt his heart break a little more. He looked into the eyes of the woman he loved, and realized that he really did love her. And because he loved her, he needed to do right by her.

Rapunzel sniffed.

"But… but I thought you would be fine! Don't go, stay with me Eugene!"

Eugene's heart snapped. The last time Rapunzel had spoken those words, he had been close to death. She had loved him then- when he had been a dirty, good for nothing thief. He had brought her home. He had loved her and had wanted a world with her in it.

He still did.

"Rapunzel is right." Stoick said softly. Eugene turned to look at the burly Viking Chief. "You are many things Flynn, and a king is one of them."

"But-"

"Do you know why we have so many people from Berk here today?"

Eugene shook his head slowly.

"Because you talked about opening a trade route. You spoke of an alliance. And it was a good idea."

Eugene was silent for a brief moment.

"Can I just be honest here, for a moment… about that?"

He looked at Stoick. Then to Rapunzel. Finally to the confused faces of the king and queen. Everyone waited for Eugene to continue.

"I only said those things because I wanted to be able to see Hiccup."

Stoick smiled. "I know."

"We all knew." Rapunzel piped in, her smile gentle as she wrapped her arms around Eugene's waist.

"I'm sorry… but I'm confused." The queen said as she looked to her husband.

"Oh…" Rapunzel smiled and released Eugene from her embrace. "Well… when I got to Berk, Eugene had met someone. They became very close and that's why he didn't want to leave. I think it was a last-ditch effort, but he proposed we open trade with Berk, and form an alliance. I thought it was a good idea, and so I spoke with Chief Stoick about it… oh we haven't done introductions!"

At that, Eugene let out a laugh. Rapunzel had never really been any good at introducing herself; or others for that matter. It always was entertaining when she forgot.

After introductions were formally made, the Vikings were escorted to the Castle of Corona, to talk over the particular arrangements of the proposed trade and alliance. Rapunzel and Eugene were escorted to their room in the castle. When the doors had been opened, Eugene let a content sigh escape his lips. Rapunzel cocked her head to the side, but said nothing until the doors were closed behind them.

"Eugene."

"Hmm?"

"I have a confession to make."

Eugene turned his head to meet Rapunzel's sheepish grin. Her hands were clasped tightly behind her back, and her cheeks were painted a light pink. His heart fluttered.

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a dragon and a missing Viking prince, would it?"

Rapunzel chuckled nervously. "Well…"

"I knew you had something to do with it."

"Oh please… you will thank me for it."

"I will?"

"Uh-huh."

Eugene rolled his eyes and smiled. Even after everything that happened, she was just the same. It was as if nothing had actually happened at all.

Rapunzel sat on the edge of the giant bed, and patted the spot beside her.

"We need to talk."

"A-about what?" Eugene asked, his eyes darting around the room. He cursed himself for wanting to run from this confrontation. He knew it was coming. He knew it would be hard. He had a lot to explain. And he didn't know how much Rapunzel knew. He forced himself to sit beside the young girl.

"Relax you big oaf." Rapunzel laughed. "I already know how you feel about him. I already know how you feel about being here."

"Rapunzel-"

"Trapped."

Eugene was silent. He knew she knew all too well how he felt. She had felt that way for eighteen years. She had been a prisoner, a slave to her hair and to the powers it had possessed. If anyone would understand how he was feeling, it would be her.

"Do you know why I came to find you?"

"No."

"Because you left on an adventure without me."

"Rapunzel-"

"I know that royal life really isn't your thing Eugene. It never really was. You crave adventure, like I craved being outside of that tower." Rapunzel took Eugene's hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. "And you found it with Hiccup. I'd be lying if I said I didn't care…"

"Are you mad at me for that?"

"No. You found a way to do what you love. I'm hurt that you didn't think I might want to join you. Did that ever even cross your mind?"

Eugene felt heat creeping up his face. "A few times."

"I was worried about you too. Hiccup told me that you didn't have your nightmares while with him."

"You knew about my nightmares?"

"Mhmm." Rapunzel nodded and then placed her head on his shoulder. "You aren't as sneaky as you think you are."

Eugene chuckled.

"Is he your new dream?"

Eugene stopped laughing at Rapunzel's worried whisper. He knew the answer. It had taken a lot of thinking, but he knew that a romantic life wasn't what he wanted. He did want Hiccup in his life, but if he had to choose one or the other, Eugene would choose Rapunzel. She knew him, inside and out. She had saved him from the darkness of his thieving life. She was his sunlight.

"No, he isn't. Don't get me wrong- I love him in a way I know I shouldn't. But he could never take your place."

Rapunzel nodded.

"You're his new dream though."

"How?"

"I've talked to him. I let him out. Helped him escape. Only I know where he is right now. And once the Chief is gone, we will go to him." Rapunzel stood up and stretched her arms above her head. She walked a few paces and turned back to Eugene, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"What are you planning?"

"You'll find out in time… but I think it's time for you to change."

"Rapunzel-"

"You know, I don't mind if he is your new dream… I'll let you have both dreams. As long as I can be a part of the new one."

And with that she pulled open the doors and left, leaving Eugene sitting on the bed with Pascal, his mouth hanging open in shock. After a moment, he shook his head and looked down at the tiny chameleon beside him.

"What did I get myself into?"

Pascal shrugged his shoulders and wandered to the fluffy pillows at the head of the bed. He curled into a ball and fell asleep with a tired squeak.

Eugene sighed. "Get changed, huh?"

Everything was the same as when he had left. The curtains were opened, allowing the bright sunlight to flow freely into the room. The armoire where his clothes had been held was closed neatly, the identical one sitting beside it open. The stone floor was ice cold as he took off his boots and padded over to his clothing options.

"Let's see… green? Or maybe… blue. No… red? No not red. I look horrid."

He stood deliberating over what color scheme to choose from, completely unaware of the door sliding open and a small figure entering. Eugene pulled out his royal maroon vest, and put it up to his chest, looking down with scrutiny. He shook his head, sighed and put it back.

"You know… I happen to think that green suits you."

"Ah!"

Eugene shouted and jumped, turning to look at the woman standing behind him. The queen smiled softly and pulled out the deep emerald green tunic and black pants. Eugene watched in silence as she reached into the bottom drawer and pulled out a green and black satin sash. She turned to Eugene and smiled.

"She would be devastated if you left, you know. I would be too."

"You would?"

"Yes. You are the son I've never had. I love you."

"I've decided… I'll stay."

"Good. What about the wedding?" the queen asked as she walked to the bed with the clothing.

"Umm…"

"Not yet then."

Eugene smiled. It was a simple sentence, but a memory stirred deep in his heart. His mind traveled to a time when he was little and alone. A woman had come to the orphanage where he had been and had handed out books and chocolates to the children there. She had given him reading lessons…

 _"_ _Will you tell me your name today?" the woman asked. She asked every day, and every day Eugene shook his head. He hated his name. Every day her response was the same._

 _But this day was different._

 _"_ _Not yet then." The woman sighed and lean back to look at the young, dirty boy. Her stomach was beginning to get big, and Eugene wondered if maybe the woman was sick. "Would it help if I told you my name?"_

 _Eugene shrugged his shoulders. "Why does it matter?"_

 _"_ _It matters because I want to be your friend. And the first part about making friends is learning each other's names. My name is Primrose."_

 _"_ _Primrose?"_

 _"_ _Yes. Now I need something to call you. Since you won't tell me your name, how about I call you Flynnigan? Flynn for short. He's the main character of my favorite book."_

 _Eugene looked at the woman with curiosity. Flynn was a better name than Eugene anyway. But what concerned him was the way the woman named Primrose was acting. Today, Primrose was acting a little strange. She had never tried so hard to keep his attention._

 _"_ _Can I read it?"_

 _Primrose chuckled and pulled out a rather large book from her pristine leather satchel. She handed it to Eugene._

 _"_ _Now treat it well. Books are beautiful things. They help you escape from the cruelty of the world around you. Remember that."_

 _Eugene didn't respond, as he had already started to read the book the woman had given him. His eyes thirsted for each new word on the page. Without another word, Primrose rose and left the orphanage, leaving her satchel beside Eugene._

"I've always wondered something…" Eugene said softly as he came out of the memory, his hands running over the soft material of his emerald tunic.

"What is it?"

"When I was little boy in the orphanage… there was a woman who would come and give us lessons, and read to us. She gave me a book. _The Tales of Flynnigan Rider_."

"That's my favorite book."

Eugene nodded. "Your name… Primrose. I never thought about it before, but you wouldn't by any chance be…"

"The very same one who gave you that book? Yes. I also gave you my satchel. Did you know I made it myself?"

Eugene's eyes widened. "How did I not notice before?"

Queen Primrose chuckled. "I don't know. But I know that those were your two most treasured items, for a long time."

Eugene nodded and peeled of his dirty vest and tunic, allowing the garments to fall to the floor with a dull _thud_. He pulled the green garment over his head and tightened the laces at his collarbone. The queen chuckled and began to walk to the door. She pulled it open but paused before she left.

"Will you tell me your name today?"

Eugene froze. He turned his head to look at the woman standing in the doorway.

"You still want to be my friend?"

"No… now I want to be your mother."

Eugene smiled. "My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert."

"It only took you twenty years." The queen smiled and walked out the door. "Now hurry and finish getting dressed. Dinner will be ready soon."

 **==So I know there was a lot going on in this chapter. I know it might be a little confusing, but the exchange between Eugene and Queen Primrose is actually extremely important, so bear with me. I hope you liked it... Let me know what you think!==**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Hiccup sighed as he got off of his dragon. It was dark out; the sun had set at least two hours before. Rapunzel had been exactly right about the cavernous wall that surrounded the lonely tower. Hiccup wasn't exactly surprised- she had spent her entire life staring out the one window.

Toothless warbled as he looked up to the single shuttered window. The shutters were partially open, allowing room for a thick rope to hang to the ground.

"Come on bud. I'm gonna climb the rope and open the shutters for you."

Toothless warbled. The two Nadders cooed and began to curl into a ball of wings and legs. Toothless glanced over at them and then back to his rider. Hiccup began to walk over to the edge of the tower to the thick rope. As he put his hands to the rope, his stomach dropped slightly.

"This isn't rope…" Hiccup tugged at the flowing rope-like protrusion and shuddered. It was feet of brown hair. "He wasn't kidding… That's a lot of hair. Um, Toothless? I've changed my mind… fly my up there bud."

Toothless nodded and leapt to Hiccup's side. With a quiet jump, the Night Fury was airborne. Hiccup leaned over and pulled at the shutters. They didn't budge. Hiccup pulled again, his arms straining.

"Hold it steady bud."

Hiccup squinted in the dark and noticed the shutters were supposed to open inward.

"Oh. Duh." With a slight grunt he pushed the shutters open and almost immediately Toothless angled himself and landed gently inside the circular building.

Even though it was nearly pitch dark outside, the inside of the tower was barley dark at all. Hiccup looked around the room in silent awe and horror. The ground was covered with at least a solid inch of dust. Off to his right, Hiccup saw an oval mirror, shattered in many pieces. Not too far away from the shattered mirror was a thick chain and cuffs. Curtains were torn and there was a tile on the corner that had been pried apart from the rest of the floor.

"Flynn never said anything about this in his stories…" Hiccup trailed off as he continued to look around. "What exactly happened here?"

Paintings covered every inch of the walls and even some of the ceiling. Red curtains hung at the top of a set of small stairs. A deep blue curtain hung haphazardly across a painting of a girl with long golden hair looking up at the night sky.

Hiccup took cautious steps toward the painting, his eyes squinting as he studied the painting. Behind him Toothless called down to the Nadders, who promptly fluttered into the room and began to make themselves a nest from some of the curtains that had been torn down.

"Is this… Rapunzel?" he asked himself as he ran his fingers over the painted stone.

A call from Toothless brought Hiccup back to his senses and he turned to his friend. The dragon nodded towards the set of steps and to the curtained area. Hiccup nodded and began to walk up the steps, his weight causing the wooden boards to groan in protest. He pulled apart the curtains and gasped.

The room was small. Dust covered every inch of clear surface. There was a larger bed directly in the center of the circular room. A small light green armoire sat on the left closest to the curtains, the mirror perfectly intact. Paintings covered every spare spot of this room too, and on the floor at the foot of the bed sat a small purple cloth with a giant golden sun stitched into it.

For whatever reason, this was the only thing not covered in dust.

Hiccup walked over to the small piece of fabric and picked it up. It felt warm, as if it had been warmed by the sun, or had just left someone's grasp. The fabric shimmered, even in the darkness. Hiccup's eyes widened.

"Toothless, what is this?"

Toothless walked up to Hiccup and nudged him gently. Then he turned and walked down the steps to the pile of dragons, where he curled around the edge and began to snore softly. Hiccup sighed. He folded the piece of cloth carefully and placed it in his breast pocket. This small square of fabric seemed to be beckoning to him.

Hiccup felt a slight warmth in his pocket, resting lightly on his heart and he smiled. It comforted him, though he didn't know how or why. Without another word, Hiccup walked back down the stairs and joined the dragon pile, using Toothless as a pillow.

The warmth of the sun woke Hiccup the next morning. The Nadders had flown down to the stream that ran alongside the tower and were now bathing and playing. Toothless sat at the shuttered window, his eyes studying the thick brown hair that was tied there.

The warmth from the purple square of fabric still radiated on Hiccup's heart.

"Good morning bud. Ready to get some breakfast?"

Toothless warbled and Hiccup saddled up. Soon they were all beside the tower, the dragons eating fish and playing in the stream, and Hiccup studying the circular wall surrounding the tower.

Something felt different.

Strange.

Magical, even.

The warmth pulsing through his chest; the sun shining on his face. Even the flowers that were growing all along the edge of the tower, and in bright blue, purple and yellow patches throughout the field. The crystal clear stream water, which seemed to sing in the sunshine… everything seemed touched by magic.

"I bet it has something to do with her." Hiccup whispered as he plucked a bright blue flower. He wondered how long it would be before Rapunzel and Flynn showed up. Until they arrived, Hiccup decided he was going to try to piece together what had happened inside the tower. That was a story he wanted to know about.

As for the moment: he was going to revel in the magical feelings surrounding him in the morning sunlight.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Come on Eugene! Come on!"

Rapunzel yelled behind her as she dragged Eugene farther away from the castle. Over the bridge, into the forest, toward the Snuggly Duckling. Eugene was dragging his feet.

Sometime within the past day, Rapunzel had done something sneaky and had every leader in the castle beaming with joy- or pride, or suspicion. Eugene couldn't tell which one. They all had the same dopey expressions on their faces. Even Stoick, who had refused to leave back for Berk until the couple returned from their "outing".

"Rapunzel, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise! Will you hurry up?"

"Shouldn't we have taken Max?"

"Stop trying to dawdle! Come on! You'll love it."

"Rapunzel…"

Rapunzel stopped pulling Eugene's arm, much to his relief. She stood still, refusing to look at him. It was extremely quiet. Suddenly all Eugene wanted to do was run. Whether it was from her or from the eerie surroundings, he wasn't sure. Something felt off.

"Rapunzel?"

"Can you trust me? I know it is something you will be happy about. But I want it to be a complete surprise."

"Oh come on! Everyone else knows!"

"That's because it's not a surprise for them. It's a surprise for you. And only you."

Eugene rolled his eyes and sighed. There was no getting anywhere with this woman. Rapunzel lowered her gaze to the ground. Her brown hair fluttered lazily in the gentle breeze. It was then that he noticed her outfit.

A simple pink front-lace corset with short sleeves that hid only her shoulders. An even lighter pink skirt that went to her calves. It was similar to her favorite purple dress, which is why he didn't notice before. But it wasn't as clean cut or fancy as the rest of her "princess" wardrobe. It was similar to his own outdoor outfit- his common clothes. Which, ironically, had been forced upon him before the sun had even begun to rise.

"Rapunzel… I've never seen this dress before."

"That's because its new."

"Where are your shoes?"

"I left them at home."

"Why?"

"Will you stop asking questions and come on? It's an adventure. Just like when you first brought me out of that tower."

Eugene smiled lightly. He knew now where they were going. But why they were going… that was still a mystery. Perhaps he could get her to drop more hints…

"Why are we in such a rush?"

"Because if we don't hurry you won't have much time to be… well… erm…" Rapunzel's cheeks flushed pink and she gave him a pointed glare. "I know what you are trying to do. Come on, see for yourself."

Eugene sighed.

"Alright. Fine."

The rest of the trip was walked in silence, Eugene fuming over the possibilities. Rapunzel had a knowing smirk on her face. Deep down in his heart he felt a small flutter. And then he realized.

This had to do with Hiccup.

He stopped short, his eyes wide. She had been acting strange. He had been missing. Stoick's refusal to leave until they returned- his knowing smile and resigned features… Primrose stuffing on his clean "commoner clothing". It was all making sense.

"Rapunzel… what did you-"

"Right through here. You'll have your answers." Rapunzel said softly as she pulled a section of hanging vine from the opening of a cavernous tunnel. The tunnel leading to the tower. Eugene took a step into the tunnel and looked to the princess beside him.

"I know how you feel for him. And to be honest… I want you to be happy."

Eugene smiled. Then frowned.

"But I can't have both of you."

Rapunzel looked up at him with wide green eyes. So full of confusion. Concern.

"I mean, he's a Viking, and technically his supposed to be the next Chief of Berk. He's supposed to be with Astrid. And you… well I'm supposed to marry you and help you rule the kingdom. That was decided before I had ever met him."

Rapunzel sighed.

"Eugene. I've talked with my mother. She's always considered you a son. Even before you brought me home. She told me. She also said that, if it would make you and me happy, that Hiccup can become a part of this family too."

"But-"

"Mother and I talked about it last night. I told them all what I did and why I did it. And they all think I did the right thing. It did take some convincing… but I got them to agree. I'm not saying it's going to be easy… but I know it will make you both happy. And that makes me happy."

"Rapunzel-"

"Go on. Look what I got you!" Rapunzel said as she pushed Eugene through the tunnel into the bright sunlight. A short distance away was the tower, the long amount of brown hair flowing lazily from the window. Two Nadders were laying by the stream beside the tower, their eyes closed in content. Toothless lay beside the Nadders, his eyes closed, but his ears twitching. Even from here, Eugene knew the Night Fury knew they were there.

Eugene scanned the surroundings, looking for Hiccup.

Resting beside the tower, a lump of brown and black leather lay, brown hair moving in the wind, face upturned to the sun, a light smile on his face. Eugene's heart stopped, and he found himself running toward the brown haired Viking. Toothless raised his head and watched, his pupils small black slits in his yellow-green eyes. Hiccup kept his eyes closed, unable to hear Eugene's thunderous footsteps.

"Hiccup!" Eugene yelled as he tumbled over onto the small brunette, earning a startled yelp from the Viking as the two somersaulted into the stream.

Eugene's heart felt like it was going to burst open. Even though it had only been a few days since he had seen Hiccup, the time had dragged on like an eternity. Now that Hiccup was in his arms once more…

Eugene pulled the Viking boy into his arms and placed his hand gently underneath his chin, tilting Hiccup's face into his own. Eugene brought his lips to Hiccup's, and he forced his mind to memorize the feeling of the boy's soft, warm lips on his own. His mind was swirling with an explosion of patterns and color when Hiccup wrapped his arms around Eugene's neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss.

When they finally pulled apart for air, Rapunzel was sitting on the bank, a shy smile on her lips and her face a little pink. Toothless was curled around her, his tail laying motionless in her lap.

"Are you done with your greeting?" she asked, her eyes shining with happiness. Eugene cocked his head to the side in confusion. He didn't understand why Rapunzel was doing any of what she was doing. She had no reason to need to, nor should she want to.

"My dad left so soon? My calculations should have put him leaving this evening… unless he got called away? I wasn't expecting you two for at least another two days." Hiccup said as he pulled himself out of the stream, helping Eugene out as he did so.

"No. He's still there. Waiting for you."

Eugene's eyes widened and Hiccup's jaw dropped.

"Wait…" Eugene said, Rapunzel's words finally making sense to him. "He's, actually _alright_ with this?"

"Alright with what?" Hiccup said, his green eyes moving from Rapunzel to Eugene and back again in confusion. "Can someone start explaining things to me?"

"Rapunzel came clean about helping you. She managed to convince them…" Eugene looked at Rapunzel. "None of them are mad?"

"I told you it took some convincing." Rapunzel said lightly. She lifted her arms off Toothless' tail and took each of the boys' hands in her own. She gave a light squeeze.

"Hiccup. I don't know you very well, but regardless, you have done so much for Eugene. I know his feelings for you are real. I have a feeling your feelings are the same. Which is why I told my parents, and your father. I want…" Rapunzel took a deep breath and smiled brilliantly, pulling the two closer to her, "I want you two to be together. With me too."

Hiccup's jaw dropped and Eugene's eyes widened.

"You were serious." Eugene whispered, more to himself than to anyone else. His heart was beating fast, and it felt like a million butterflies were trying to escape his stomach all at once. He glanced over to Hiccup, whose face had gone extremely red.

"Why…"

"Because I want Eugene to be happy. And he is happy with you. And even though I know very little about you, our conversations on Berk were nice- even though they were pretty short. I'd like to get to know you. But most importantly, I want Eugene to be happy."

"But what about your wedding?"

Rapunzel sighed, shook her head and smiled wider. "Not yet. Maybe someday. But right now I want an answer from you. Do you want to be a part of this?"

Hiccup closed his eyes.

Eugene could see the Viking's eyes moving behind his closed lids as the boy thought. He was weighing pros and cons, trying to find any possible problems. Rapunzel let go of their hands and began to pet Toothless' tail once more. The Night Fury cooed in pleasure and curled his tail tighter around the girl. Eugene smiled. Even though Toothless was wary of new people, he had taken a direct liking to both himself and to Rapunzel. It was a wonderful thought… that Hiccup's best friend was alright with them.

"I would love to be a part of this." Hiccup said finally, opening his eyes and gesturing to the whole group with a smile.

"Aww!" Rapunzel said, bringing her hands to her face and smiling as wide as her face would allow her. She somehow moved from the sitting position she had been in, launching herself out toward the boys. Her arms wrapped around Eugene's and Hiccup's necks and she brought them together in a tight embrace.

Before Eugene knew what was happening, the three of them were laying down: Hiccup and himself on their backs, Rapunzel on top of half of each of them, her arms coiled tightly around them. Hiccup glanced over to Eugene with a confused smirk. Eugene let out a toothy smile and moved his free hand to return Rapunzel's eager embrace.

"Now… we can go home." Rapunzel said after a moment, peeling herself from the boys and standing up.

"Wait, what?" Eugene and Hiccup said in unison the shock mirrored on both faces.

"Why do you think Stoick was waiting for us to get back? He wants to see his son."

"Rapunzel have you actually thought about-"

"Eugene. Yes. Come on. Do you want to walk, or fly?"

Eugene smiled and looked to the two Nadders that stood beside a now extremely excited Toothless. Hiccup was already moving toward his dragon, his face still beet red.

"I think we'll fly."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Wait so what's going on exactly?" Hiccup said as he rode with Rapunzel and Flynn through the skies of Corona.

"You are going to talk to your father. I did most of the explaining already… but he wants to see you before he goes back to Berk." Rapunzel said with a smile. Hiccup could see she was enjoying the ride on her dragon. The Nadder was a perfect fit for her.

"And you are sure he's alright with this?"

Rapunzel nodded.

"Come on you two! This is a new adventure! A new dream!"

And with that she sped up and flew past Hiccup with tremendous speed.

"What is it with her and dreams?" Hiccup asked as she looped back around.

"Remember the whole 'locked in a tower for eighteen years'? Yeah… her whole life revolved round dreaming."

"So it's ingrained?"

"I guess."

"Huh."

"Come on you guys!"

Rapunzel shot past the boys with a squeal of excitement before rounding off again and slowing to match their lazy pace.

"You know he'll still be there waiting no matter how slow you go." She said with a sigh. "Pick up the pace already!"

"Why… is this so important for you?" Hiccup asked, his mind reeling. What was he supposed to say to his father? _Hey dad… sorry I let her bust me out of prison and ran away from Berk. Also, I don't think I'm really ready to become chief so…_ Yeah, that wouldn't go well.

Rapunzel sighed. Then she shrugged, her eyes glowing. "I don't know. I would think being on good terms with your parents is something anybody would want."

"Yeah, if your parents weren't leaders of a Viking tribe that rides fire-breathing dragons, I suppose you'd be right."

"Hmmm…"

Hiccup shook his head at Rapunzel's thoughtful hum and took a deep breath. This girl was nothing like he had ever imagined from Flynn's stories… and the man himself was a little different when he was around her. But then again, Hiccup couldn't help but feel like there was something magical about her- not just that she had in fact, at one point had magic hair. He couldn't quite put his finger on it…

And then he felt the warmth in his chest pocket.

"Hey Rapunzel…"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering…" Hiccup said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small square of fabric. "Could you tell me what this is?"

Rapunzel turned her head and Flynn's eyes widened.

"That's the flag I bought for her on her birthday." Flynn said, his eyes mesmerized by the piece of cloth. "It was the first thing I had ever bought."

"Where did you find it?" Rapunzel asked quietly, her big green eyes wide and her lips quivering. "I thought I had lost it forever."

"It was in the tower. I've been holding on to it because I thought it was a little odd… this thing has been radiating warmth since I picked it up. It didn't look like it belonged in there."

"You went into the tower?"

Hiccup nodded. "What exactly happened in there?"

Flynn sighed. "Hic, some things are better left alone."

Before Hiccup could respond, all three dragons dove down to the ground in front of the castle, and Hiccup realized he had forgotten where they had been travelling to. Now, he was afraid.

Standing in front of him, with a harsh look on his face, Stoick the Vast waited for Hiccup to get off his dragon. Hiccup gulped inwardly and slowly raised himself from Toothless' back.

"H-hi dad."

"Hiccup."

Hiccup stood in silence as Flynn and Rapunzel dismounted their dragons and walked up to the two Vikings. Hiccup licked his lips and glance around, hoping to find some sort of support. Stoick stood in front of him like an immovable stone.

"Son. I know why you are here."

"Oh… kay?" Hiccup said nervously. "Dad, I know this isn't how you wanted me to be. But the truth is… I'm not like you. I never have been. And with Flynn-"

"I know." Stoick said, placing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "And it's alright."

"It- it is?" Hiccup's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. Behind him he heard a light giggle escape Rapunzel's lips. "How-"

"Well, if there's one thing that girl's got, its talent for persuasion and understanding of others." Stoick said with a shake of his head. "You know how I feel about it. But you are your own man and will make your own decisions. Berk will be waiting for you to come home."

Stoick turned around and began to walk towards his own dragon. Hiccup didn't know what he was supposed to do. He looked behind him at Rapunzel and Flynn. Flynn looked just as confused and conflicted as Hiccup felt. Rapunzel's eyes were lit like fires, and her smile was wide enough to fit a dragon in. she was rocking back and forth on her heels, her arms behind her back.

"Dad-"

"Feel free to visit anytime."

Hiccup walked up to his father and put a hand on his father's big arm. He had no idea where else to touch, since Stoick wasn't one for hugs, or physical contact for that matter. Stoick smiled. It was a smile that looked too strained to be real.

"Just take care of this place like you would Berk, son. And don't worry… I'll tell your mother where you are. But it'll be our secret from the rest of Berk. Continue to explore new lands. Who knows? Maybe we'll move off of Berk and somewhere better when you come back."

"Trade with Corona?"

"Begins in the fall. So don't worry, you'll see your friends soon enough."

Hiccup nodded, not sure what else to say. Stoick was taking this much better than when he had been on Berk.

"Goodbye son."

"Bye dad."

And with that, Stoick and the rest of the riding party rose into the air and headed back toward Berk. Hiccup watched them leave until the sun was almost gone and they were nothing more than specks on the horizon.

Suddenly he felt a hand entwine with his own. He looked to his right and saw Flynn beside him, his eyes watching the specks as they became shrouded from view. Rapunzel was on Flynn's other side, her smile smaller, but her eyes just as bright.

"We should be getting inside."

The boys nodded and walked the rest of the way into the castle, the dragons following until the doors. The king and queen of Corona stood just inside the doorway, their lips turned up in soft smiles.

"Welcome Hiccup."

Hiccup smiled as they walked up to him and wrapped him in a warm embrace.

Rapunzel joined the hug, with Flynn following closely behind. Soon he was engulfed by four people in a giant hug. "Ummm…" he said, unsure of what was happening.

"Just let it be Hic." Flynn whispered into his hair. Hiccup nodded and settled into the embrace.

From inside his breast pocket, he thought he heard a tiny whisper. But then the embrace was over and the king and queen went to the dining hall, and had instructed all three of them change clothes. Rapunzel led the way to Hiccup's new room, where clothes had been laid out on the giant bed and a balcony had been cleared off for Toothless, who was now lazily curled up and snoring quietly. They waited for Hiccup to change from his riding gear and then the tour continued.

Rapunzel led Flynn to his own room.

"Since we aren't getting married right now, it didn't seem right to make you share." She said lightly. Hiccup smiled. The green and white tunic he was wearing wasn't tight, but it wasn't confortable either. He pulled at the sleeves of his vest and at the collar on his neck. Both were stiff, but soft. His pants were looser than he would have liked, but they weren't as uncomfortable as he had imagined them to be. Flynn had laughed when Hiccup emerged, but now was giving looks of sympathy.

Again they waited, this time for Flynn, who emerged in a stunning purple tunic. He didn't look uncomfortable in the slightest. Hiccup gasped lightly at the sight of him.

"He's handsome, isn't he?" Rapunzel said lightly as she drifted off down the hall once more, stopping in front of the double doors that had once been shared with Flynn. She opened the doors and closed them again, leaving the boys to stand awkwardly in the hallway.

"Why do I have to wear this?" Hiccup asked quietly, tugging at his collar again.

"To fit in. Don't worry. You'll get used to it soon enough."

Hiccup sighed but nodded. Rapunzel emerged wearing a beautiful silver and lavender dress. Both Hiccup and Flynn gasped and their jaws dropped.

"Blondie… I didn't know you had something like that." Flynn said quietly, his eyes widening as the silver glinted off the lights in the castle.

Rapunzel simply laughed and shook her head. Then she took the boys by the hand and led them to the dining hall. As they passed by Hiccup's room, there was a slight whisper that caused all three to freeze.

 _True joy will appear for those with a Dragon's Heart._


End file.
